Things I Would Happily Pay Top-Dollar For This Very Instant But For Some Insane Reason Am Unable to Purchase in This Country:

• TiVo
• Diet Vanilla Coke
• Golden Grahams
• Dinty Moore Beef Stew

Yeah, it’s a short list, but I’m sure I’ll be adding to it. Those are ranked roughly in diminishing order of how frequently I say, “Dammit! Why can’t I buy [X]?” What’s the point of having a World Trade Organization if willing consumers are denied the opportunity to buy stuff they want? *pout* I say hurry up, globalization!

[Edited to add: Okay, I just realized that sounds very Asshole American “Where’s the McDonald’s?” Tourist, which wasn’t what I intended. See, they already have regular Vanilla Coke here. I’m just annoyed that they haven’t brought out a diet version. The Golden Grahams thing is more a reaction to the lack of cinnamon and graham flavored products here. (No “Big Red” gum either.) Okay, the Dinty Moore thing is ridiculous, and I can’t really fault them there. I just miss it. But as for the TiVo… I really don’t get this. A) They already have a PAL version they did for the UK. B) It’s not like they’d have to translate any of the menus or documentation. C) There are several existing cable setups here that, I can only imagine, would love to offer a bundled system. So what’s the damn holdup? Anyway, just trying to prove I’m not being totally irrational here…]