[bogomipz]

Ha, yeah that was a typo : ) I think its closer to 330 million these days.

The homeless problem in SF is really terrible and particularly glaring. Homelessness in general is a problem in many major cities in US however the intensity of it in SF is not not at all representative of the rest of the US.

I'm not impressed by either SF or San Jose either, but I wouldn't say the US doesn't impress me. The North East Corridor of the US is very different from the places you visited as is the South, the Midwest etc.

[hvm]

You don't need to defend it, you know. That was the point the poster was making - that just because he had a subpar experience he shouldn't judge the whole country by it.

[logfromblammo]

The US is very much like 5 to 12 different countries pretending to be one.

Personally, I'd classify the culturally distinct areas as Pacific Coast, Big West, Mormonland, Deep South, Mid-Atlantic, North Mexico, Eastern Megalopolis (Washington DC to Boston), Middle Neutralia, Flori-duh (aka Murica's Glans), and Cajun Country.

Having visited most at least once, and lived in three for at least a year, each are impressive in different ways. It isn't always a positive impression.