Things that don’t work

Bill Bryson has made a career out of comparing the British and American personalities. He sees British people as being pessimistic and having low expectations (while Americans are optimistic and self-delusional). The British stoicism may explain why people here settle for a lot of things that don’t work. For instance:
Sponges and tea towels that aren’t absorbent. Tin foil and plastic wrap that have (totally useless) cardboard, not metal, cutting edges. Clothes dryers that don’t actually dry clothes. Dishwashers that leave dishes dirty. Cat litter that doesn’t clump. Parking lots that are too small and are poorly designed, creating a cluster f*&k and back ups on roads--but only when someone is getting into or out of a space. Customer service is pretty bad across the board. Waiters and waitresses, for instance, are hard to find.
None of these things dampen my enthusiasm for living here. I just think it’s funny that, in this day and age, some pretty basic things seem resistant to the dominant culture, where everything bends to the will of the mighty consumer.
11-27