Daily Annoyances

[ecomodded]

C'mon guys didn't you know Americans copy the Europeans!, Europe is older and wiser and has had a mega huge influence on U.S.A
& Canada

Both Europe and North America have their share of stupid ideas. 50/50 I would say.
or is it 60/40 ?

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Thymeclock

The NY metro area is very similar to the entire Northeast corridor from Boston to Wash. DC. I suppose that large region is not representative of America, either?

Nope. Look at a map sometime, and notice what a small fraction of the country that northeast corridor actually is.

Then spend a little time in areas of that corridor outside the NYC metro area - and not that far out, either, say north of Tarrytown* through most of Connecticut into eastern Massachusetts - and you'll see that it's not much like NYC at all.

(I spent some time at IBM's Watson Lab, just north of Tarrytown, a few years ago when they were first developing the BlueGene. It's an interesting place, on a hill about 30 miles from Manhattan. From the entry you have a panoramic view to the north & west, and you can't even see another building.)

You expressed disdain for the widespread popularity of McD's - not only in America, but worldwide. As such, you are opposed to what McD's represents: the spread and acceptance of American culture, globally.

Why not go back and read what I actually wrote? To expand a bit on what I said, I think every culture has good parts and bad parts. The problem, to my way of thinking, is that other countries mostly adopt the worst parts of American culture, and ignore the good parts.

McD's has long been a target of the anti-globalist Left. Since it represents American culture, that is reason enough for you to hate it.

Oh, merde! First, I'm not in any way, shape, or form a leftist. Second, I don't hate McDonalds, I regard it with contempt. Third, my dislike of McDonalds and similar enterprises, like that of many people, has nothing to do with Americanization, globalization, or politics, and everything to do with the love of good food. (The left may jump on the issue and use it, as they do with others, but we can't help that.)

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by ecomodded

Both Europe and North America have their share of stupid ideas. 50/50 I would say. or is it 60/40 ?

Yeah, as I said. But Europe copies McDonalds from America, while America copies French wines & Mediterranean cuisine, so I think we come out ahead :-)

[wdb]

Originally Posted by Thymeclock

You are free to express socialistic, bitter anti-American views - however, I have never seen and currently do not see any such trivial window flags on cars here. I have lived in and near NY City my entire life, and I am well over 50 years of age. The one exception of flags on cars was after 9/11 when the WTC towers were attacked and this city bore the full brunt of the destruction. People proudly displayed American flags everywhere, including on their vehicles, out of frustration and grief.

You can blame America for many things, but not for this apparent penchant for trite flags by those in your country.

Oooh - oooh! Another daily annoyance! People who 911-ify things that have no relevance to that event whatsoever.

[Frank Lee]

then finding out my newly named bank (Wachovia -> wells fargo) charges a fee now when money is pulled from my savings to my checking...

They are crooks and I bailed out on them for similar reasons.

I WILL NOT BE FORCED TO JOIN WITH THESE MARKETING METHODS.

We have to be so vigilant these days. On my GF's phone bill I found a couple completely unnecessary, scam "services" she had been paying for, for quite some time because like many she didn't look at the itemization. This has also happened to several others I know, and to myself (and even though I caught mine the instant it came it took several months and some harsh phone calls to straighten it out). The phone company goes along with these scams because they get a cut too. I swear telecommunications is run by the mob- there is no other business that screws their customers over on such a regular basis is there?

Re: McDonald's: If I want a bun with a greasy spot in the middle of it, I can easily make that at home.

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Yeah, as I said. But Europe copies McDonalds from America, while America copies French wines & Mediterranean cuisine, so I think we come out ahead :-)

Oh I don't know, we sent you Simon Cowell and Piers Morgan and David Beckham (or more specifically Mrs B) and that other non-entity celeb I can't think of the name of.

And in return we still have enough wine and cuisine, plus somewhere convenient to get a laxative in a bun when we need it.

I think we come out ahead

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

Yeah, as I said. But Europe copies McDonalds from America, while America copies French wines & Mediterranean cuisine, so I think we come out ahead :-)

Are you saying that each side copies the best of what the other has to offer?

For those who don't know - Europe is now moving over from McD's to doner kebab, while the US is into Mexicano...

[Arragonis]

Today's annoyance is anti-virus programs.

The advertising is that they sit in the background, silently protecting your PC without affecting performance.

Except when your PC is in the red-zone on CPU usage then you can as often as not find that the AV program is taking all those CPU cycles.

And when it does actually pop-up to say something is wrong, IT IS A FALSE ALARM.

(and no, OSX and Linux are no better, just less targeted).

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

Except when your PC is in the red-zone on CPU usage then you can as often as not find that the AV program is taking all those CPU cycles.

AV programs are pretty much the only things that bring my CPU usage up to 100% Gotta run that CPU around the track a few times to keep it healthy.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

Oh I don't know, we sent you Simon Cowell and Piers Morgan and David Beckham (or more specifically Mrs B) and that other non-entity celeb I can't think of the name of.

But did we copy them, or did you guys kick them out?

I got my Arkangel Shakespeare, and you guys got what, re-runs of reality TV?