Glad to be back on the East Coast

Having spent the last few days in the Midwest I realize how much different that region of the country is. I have heard that new things start in California and then move to the East Coast and eventually work their way to the Midwest last.  Everyone in the Midwest seems to drive large trucks or American cars.  Fewer Starbucks. The radio stations on the lower end (80's) of the radio dial are religious stations instead of NPR channels.  Grocery stores have smaller chicken meat sections and forget about fresh fish.  Milk sections are mostly whole milk and skim milk only came in gallon size.  And why do you have to spend $40 in tolls going to Chicago??  Aren't interstate highways suppose to be free?  The road surface of I-80 was so bad from all the trucks so I am not sure where the toll money goes.The last exit for the PA turnpike was so confusing I got a violation by driving through the EZ Pass lane.

You couldn't help but notice that we are still a country where most everything is transported by truck. We have never been willing to develop a rail system for long distance delivery.  I can't imagine how much oil we need to continue this inefficient way to move our goods. To say nothing about the air pollution from the trucks.