A question regarding a american mystery

[Kropotkin]

There's one thing that have always puzzled me over americans but I'm not sure if it's just a result of the hollywood conspiracy or not.

Here how it is; I was watching some american criminal drama the other day with my girlfriend and once again the mystery showed its enigmatic face: The brown paperbag without handles! And now I need to find out the truth!

Almost every time someone comes from the grocery in a american TV-show or film they carrry their items in a brown paper bag without handles. And almost always it seems to be a hazzle to carry and handle and at times it doesn't seem to hold together very well. Now, I think I've seen other bags on TV so it doesn't seem like the superior alternatives (like plastic bags och paper bags with handles) are unkown (or maybe it was canadian show). That the americans take paper bags could hardly be because they care about the environment and besides, there's no problems to have handles on paper bags anyhow.

So what is that about? Is it so that americans for some reason like the bags because they are traditional and they don't want inferior foreign bags? It seems like a great mystery to me...

[DaShi]

Handles are more expensive to make.

[Arrian]

There are typically two options for bags:

The brown paper bags w/o handles you saw. They can be a hassle to carry, but tend to hold together pretty well.

The plastic bags w/handles. Easier to carry, but not environmentally friendly.

-Arrian

[Kropotkin]

So the US is supposed to be the economic superpower of the world but can't afford handles?

[Arrian]

I've seen the paper bags with handles, but I guess Stop&Shop (the common grocery store around here) doesn't use them.

-Arrian

[Kropotkin]

I find it to be a puzzling yet interesting cultural phenomen.

[DaShi]

Originally posted by Kropotkin
So the US is supposed to be the economic superpower of the world but can't afford handles?

The US didn't get to be the economic superpower by using handles.

[Kropotkin]

With handles it's easier to carry and if it's easier to carry you can consume more!!! That's your solution for the current economic situation!

On the other hand, considering how fat americans are maybe it souldn't be easier for them to carry home even more food...

[Arrian]

Are you actually trying to use paper grocery bags as a troll topic?

-Arrian

[DanS]

Big brown paper bags don't need handles. When you're taking the bag from the supermarket cart 2 feet to the back seat of the SUV, and 20 feet from the back seat of the SUV to the refrigerator, you do not need handles.

[Sten Sture]

Out here in ultra modern California, our paper grocery bags have handles.

Since most americans don't walk more than 2 feet (.71m) with a paper grocery bag, the handles have not been deemed necessary.

[Sten Sture]

that was a delayed simul post. you will note that 2 feet can now be considered to be a verified standard distance for Ameros

[Kropotkin]

Originally posted by Arrian
Are you actually trying to use paper grocery bags as a troll topic?

It's not at all meant as a troll. I just find it interesting that sometimes even in modern societies some strange habits and products seems to survive. Like the milk bottles Post-Tetra.

[Arrian]

Just checking... the "Fat Americans" comment made me think you were gonna take this down that road some more.

I guess we don't have the handles 'cause we just don't care enough to demand them.

pfffft, I walk a good 25ft with MY grocery bags, you lazy slobs!

-Arrian

[Elok]

"Considering how fat Americans are?"
It's a bloody grocery bag. Can't people from foreign countries stick to criticizing us over things that matter(belligerence, imperialist tendencies, treating England like our personal ho, our president's resemblance to a bewildered chimp, etc.)? I mean, while we're being picky, French sounds like it was invented by a guy with hairballs up his nose, but you don't see me trolling about that...sometimes about the disturbing popularity of that creep Le Pen, but not on something really petty.
Why are you picking a fight over something like this?

Whoops, question answered. Still, can you please not rush to look down your nose at us?

[rah]

It's all a PETA plot. Handles on paper bags have been responsible for the strangulation deaths of many cats and dogs while they were playing with them. Hence, only the more high trend department stores are allowed to put handles on bags to assist people after buying bulky fur coats. (under the assumption that so many animals were killed to make the fur coat, what's a couple more kittens matter)

RAH

[Kropotkin]

Well, obviously some seems to take it as a troll. Calm down newbie.

Now, it was a joke. It is a well known fact that overweight is a huge health problem in the rich parts of the world, particulary in the US.

[Kropotkin]

Now, you got a point there Rah. A cat I know loves bags and has almost managed to kill himself a few times (he has some suicidal tendencies).

I thought at first that it was the liberal hollywood that this way was promoted paper bags over platic bags in their shows and films but I guess PETA fits into that.

[Combat Ingrid]

Brown paper bags without handles are better suited for hiding whiskey bottles

[MrFun]

If you can create paper bag handles that do not rip off when you use them to carry heavier bags of groceries, I will give you your patent rights.

[rah]

Originally posted by Kropotkin
I thought at first that it was the liberal hollywood that this way was promoted paper bags over platic bags in their shows and films but I guess PETA fits into that.

There is something to be said about a hollywood plot, but it's more of an ole tired cliche.

In any movie, EVERY person shown coming home from a grocery store must have a loaf of french bread (which will now be switched to Italian bread ) and some green leafy vegatable sticking out of the bag. It doesn't have the same a effect if they're dragging a plastic bag mere inches from the ground. If you pay close attention, you will see this every time.

[Kropotkin]

What do you eat? Bowling balls for breakfast?

[Kropotkin]

Rah: So it falls into the "if you stay over in Paris you can se the Eiffel tower (that costs 300 shields and improves your reputation over time) from the window"-kind of thing?

[GePap]

If more European bagging methods came to the US, there would be a revolt. Paying for your bags? Using reusable ones? Never I say, Never!

Here in NY you barely ever get paper bags, mainly if you get liquor or wine.

[DanS]

which will now be switched to Italian bread

[MrFun]

Originally posted by Kropotkin
What do you eat? Bowling balls for breakfast?

yeah, I do -- bowling balls are delicious to eat

[Kropotkin]

Ahh so they are free!?
Well, that's another thing, Go USA!!!

[rah]

Originally posted by Kropotkin
Rah: So it falls into the "if you stay over in Paris you can se the Eiffel tower (that costs 300 shields and improves your reputation over time) from the window"-kind of thing?

You got it.

Along with in every SCI-FI movie, in every critical situation, what will cease to function...........the hyper drive. If they use second rate writers, please feel free to substitute shields or weapons.


And yes, in Chicago, you can get paper bags simply by asking, (plastic is the default) and they are still FREE. They'll even bring your groceries out and place them in your car for free, so we can get fatter.

[Elok]

Well, not so much a troll as arrogant and ill-mannered. It's also a scientific fact that South Africa has a huge AIDS rate, but it would still be rude as all hell if I made jokes about them for it. And as for "calm down, newbie," well, aren't you the gentleman? Takes me back to high school, that does. You may have seniority but that hardly gives you license to snub. I'm not really angry(I'm actually pretty hard to anger), but I still think you're being a mite condescending.
Well, back on topic. It may be a matter of convenient storage. Bag handles are easily torn and I imagine they take up extra space in the stockroom(unless you want to just mash 'em in there, which would ruin the handles). Plus there's the matter of saving expense while buying in bulk, saving the trees, etc. Probably a combination of factors, actually. Or maybe somebody just flipped a coin.

[GePap]

Elok:

Its a thread about paper bags... it is best to save ones ire for the really heated threads, the real trolls out there, cause it can get ugly. I mean, Kropotkin here thinks I am Noriega, just cause of my little flag, now don't you Kropotkin?