While the rest may or may not be true (some I know are and some I can't say one way or the other) I take exception to the one about sales tax. They mentioned Value Added Tax (VAT) as an alternative in other countries. They said it is included in the price. At least in the UK (I known it was as late as 1992 when I left) that is only partially true. VAT is applied each step in the manufacturing process (including restaurants). It is applied when the raw product is purchased and then each step along the way when it is made into something more valuable the value added part). All that is in the price the consumer sees at the market (of whatever flavor: car dealers, restaurants, hardware stores, etc). But, when the consumer buys the final product it is added at the cash register for the final value added. So, in the UK at least, the consumer does have to do math in his/her head to determine the final cost. Again it was that way when I left there in '92 and I'd bet it hasn't changed.