Observations while on vacation in Michigan
This week I have been spending some family time in Traverse City, Michigan. This is the second time we have been here in the last eight months and this time I have been paying a lot more attention to the local media, tv, news, etc.
You need a drug, surgery, or better—a place to put your retired parents
What I can’t believe is the amount of talk and advertisements about health treatment, post-treatment stuff, and drugs. Every second commercial is trying to sell you a treatment… it’s nuts. I could be just looking for it but honestly US folks, I don’t get how you can be against the government doing something about the big business that is doing everything it can that you are all requiring treatment all the time.
Driving across the border: “Do you have a pocket knife?”
Honestly, how theatrical is all of US border security now (its not just for planes)? They are asking about things like pocket knives when someone could buy a 50 caliber sniper rifle at a gun shop down the road. Knives? Well there are plenty of those for $10 as well. I am not sure if the questions bug me or the aggression and fear that comes across when crossing the border. It makes no sense to me that these folks at the border are a ‘first line’ of defense—there is no way you catch the real criminals by puffing up at the border, the ones smuggling large amounts of stuff aren’t just driving across… are they?
I took the above photo at a Gander Mountain outfitters. It was in the middle of a sea of guns… even pink hand guns. I am not a big supporter of gun control (I think you do need to require training, register, and don’t sell guns to criminals) but why in the world would anyone need a 50 caliber sniper rifle? Just in case the deer goes behind a tree and you want to fast track the venison sausage making process?
Prices in Canada are close to prices in Michigan
This is probably my biggest surprise and something I didn’t notice last time i was here. Baby formula is $19 a tub, the same formula is $20 in Waterloo. Diapers are no contest, half the price here but a decent steak is $13-14 a pound—pretty close to the Bauer butcher in Waterloo. Besides cars, trucks, entertainment, gas, and clothes the prices of a lot of goods are similar.
It has been a good trip but I will rethink when we will come back. It is still easier to get here than Northern Ontario (thank you 400) and I can still fish, snowboard, etc. The infrastructure is better geared towards tourists, hotels are nicer and far less expensive, with condos that have kitchens that save loads of $$ on meals for kids.
Next week it is back to work time, but now I will enjoy the rest of the week 