Quote from: RPGPundit;979495I used to live in Alberta. The beef is good, truly great by North American standards (which kicks the crap out of European standards).

There's good beef here. The Aberdeen Angus steaks I get for barbecue are very good, much better than most US restaurant steak I've had - of course they cost a lot more too. Most British beef not* sold specifically as steak is just a byproduct of the milk industry and definitely not great, but the top stuff stands global comparison I think.

*Actually my butcher friend tells me that even generic supermarket steak may be half dairy cow, since they don't secure the supply chain unless it's specifically marketed as a named beef breed.

Quote from: Voros;979686Jeff please don't drag your grudges from the Pundency here.

How can I have a grudge against my Id?

Quote from: Dumarest;979557So just like pretty much anywhere in California and you find that exceptional somehow? Do Canadians not have those?

How are the farmer's markets in CA? Given that you grow like 50% of the food the rest of the country eats, I might think that your general grocery isle produce would be what we would consider farmer's market quality (and thus your farmer's markets something we could barely conceive). Or does it not work out like that?

Quote from: Koltar;979655Did the original poster totally miss that I was hinting I might get the books for him and work out some kind of deal?

Or did that hint just fall by the wayside amidst various arguments?

- Ed C.

Yes, sorry. I'm interested in hearing about this though u live in the UK and have little sister cash right now. Mainly from buying 2nd hand Dr who DVDs.

Quote from: Willie the Duck;979711How are the farmer's markets in CA? Given that you grow like 50% of the food the rest of the country eats, I might think that your general grocery isle produce would be what we would consider farmer's market quality (and thus your farmer's markets something we could barely conceive). Or does it not work out like that?

Well, you have numerous options:
(1) Target and Walmart grocery sections
(2) Various supermarkets like Vons, Aldi's, etc.
(3) Specialty chains like Trader Joe's, Sprouts, etc.
(4) Bodegas and tiny specialty markets
(5) Farmer's markets all over the place, and swap meets that also have guys selling fruits and vegetables
(6) Guys on every corner with makeshift produce stands
(7) Pick it yourself
( Grow and pick it yourself

Depending on how much effort you want to make, you can get incredible quality food at very low prices. I buy my avocados, lemons, oranges, and other fruit from those guys on the corner because they are excellent, I grow my own tomatoes, I get other produce usually at a farmer's market or Sprouts, and usually buy meats and cheeses at the specialty stores. Cheerios and other ordinary stuff I get at Target most of the time. Anyone who thinks you can't find top quality food at low prices isn't trying very hard or expects to get it all at one place, which isn't going to happen.

Quote from: RPGPundit;979495I used to live in Alberta. The beef is good, truly great by North American standards (which kicks the crap out of European standards). Uruguayan beef is better. Like, substantially better.

I'll have to take your word on that because I'm not going to fly halfway around the world for a steak.

Quote from: Biscuitician;979718Yes, sorry. I'm interested in hearing about this though u live in the UK and have little sister cash right now. Mainly from buying 2nd hand Dr who DVDs.

I don't live in the "UK" - I reside in beautiful Southwest Ohio near a city called Cincinnati - the guy in my anecdote lived in the UK.

Also, I work at a game store....so I'm around RPG books all the time.

- Ed C.

Quote from: Koltar;979812I don't live in the "UK" - I reside in beautiful Southwest Ohio near a city called Cincinnati - the guy in my anecdote lived in the UK.

Also, I work at a game store....so I'm around RPG books all the time.

- Ed C.

I meant I live in the UK.

Anyway, what was it that you had in mind?

Quote from: Willie the Duck;979711How are the farmer's markets in CA? Given that you grow like 50% of the food the rest of the country eats,

Cali produces a LOT of food, and they produce nearly all of the US's output of a few things (ex: 99% of almonds), but in terms of agricultural value, Cali doesn't even match the next two states combined.  Cali = $34.8 billion, Iowa = $21 billion, Texas = $16.6 billion (as of 2009).

Quote from: Charon's Little Helper;979832Cali produces a LOT of food, and they produce nearly all of the US's output of a few things (ex: 99% of almonds), but in terms of agricultural value, Cali doesn't even match the next two states combined.  Cali = $34.8 billion, Iowa = $21 billion, Texas = $16.6 billion (as of 2009).

Given that Texas and Iowa combined are twice the size of California and yet produce almost the same dollar amount as California per your figures, what do you think they're doing wrong that their production is only half as high? Also, it should be clear that dollar value of agricultural products doesn't have anything to do with the quantity of said products. So I'm not sure what you're trying to compare there except to say that the next two biggest agricultural states don't produce much in comparison?

Quote from: Dumarest;979833Given that Texas and Iowa combined are twice the size of California and yet produce almost the same dollar amount as California per your figures, what do you think they're doing wrong that their production is only half as high?

California's soil & climate are superior, letting California have year-round crops, especially in comparison to most of Texas (some of Texas is basically desert).  In addition, many of Cali's crops get more $ per acre but are also much higher labor costs.  (the extreme example being wine - which counts entirely towards their agricultural #s)  That's one reason why the average farm in California is about 2/3 the size of the rest of the country.

Grains are low labor cost to produces, but they're worth a lot less per acre.

Quote from: jeff37923;979707How can I have a grudge against my Id?

:eek:

Quote from: Charon's Little Helper;979832Cali produces a LOT of food, and they produce nearly all of the US's output of a few things (ex: 99% of almonds), but in terms of agricultural value, Cali doesn't even match the next two states combined.  Cali = $34.8 billion, Iowa = $21 billion, Texas = $16.6 billion (as of 2009).

Hyperbole on my part. Plus I was focusing specifically on what I think of as farmer's market good (e.g. fresh produce). My main question is whether being the produce supplier for the rest of us means that their own farmer's market fair was even a step above our own, or whether it means that the state is hyperfocused on making the stable-to-transport-but-less-flavorful stuff that we get from them.

Quote from: Koltar;979674Well that explains it.
In the past I have done 'barter deals' with folks on gaming forums and negotiated via the private messaging.
Sometimes things are more affordable in the USA, and its less expensive to send a game thing as a gift than do the Amazon or internet purchase thing.
One guy years ago  I traded a GURPS source book for a Sonic Screwdriver that was only available in the UK at the time.
Seemed a fair trade to me.

- Ed C.

What did you have in mind?

Quote from: Biscuitician;980219What did you have in mind?

At the moment we're too close to Gen Con timewise for me to do it financially.
Give me a week or two?
Send me a PM exactly which D&D 5th edition books you want. Then lets figure out something gamer or geeky in the UK that would be difficult for me to find .

- Ed C.