FB is good for sharing stuff with the friends back home, and also important for me as potential job networking resources.
but TOTALLY with you on twitter, dont get that at all.
brb kids on lawn....
Agree with this 100%. For one to attempt to be knowledgeable with news events, one must attempt to take in as many of the news sources as possible--each with a grain of salt.
Even taking in one 'left' sided news and one 'right' sided news reports is much better and informative than taking in a single 'unbiased' state-run news source, such is commonly the case in CH.
Again, we have to look at the actual size of the american population and the demographics who are loyally watching FOX news. MTVs most successful show ever is Jersey shore, and I think it would be extremely naive to describe the Music culture, scene and music enthusiasts based on the high ratings of that show.
That would be Linked-in then...
Amen!
Did you have to mention Jersey Shore?
hahaha--Sorry, I had to go that far, there must be a godwin equivalent of 'Jersey Shoring' a discussion.
That being said, I do enjoy watching Fox News as well as Jersey Shore. Both involve major samples of society which are very different in views than mine. Still being large sample sets, in day to day life one will encounter and have to deal with such people, and it's best to understand and know how they think.
best put by Oscar Wilde:
It's all what you make if it, my friend. To each their own! It's like what I told a friend some time ago...if you don't like the US, just leave; nobody's forcing you to stay!
That seems to be more of a personal take on the system, as I'm certain, plenty of other people would attest otherwise. Just for instance, how many public buildings are not wheelchair accessible in Switzerland...or how many retail stores do not provide electric wheelchairs or assisted shopping...there are 2 sides to every coin and it is easy to disregard the many great advantages a country has by simply stating bias. No crime? wasn't just recently an elderly man killed by a group of young men and it barely stayed in the papers for a day?
I like your SARCASM
All new and refurbished public buildings need wheelchair access now with very few exceptions (my husband is in the town planning dept and it's been the case for the last 8 or 9 years).
With the growing popularity of internet based home delivery this is a dying necessity so no point in starting it. Even the elderly know one end of a laptop from the other.
How long is "long enough" to report such a story? I guess they'll run a story if and when the killers are convicted but why do they need to rake over it till then with non-information-noise to the pain of the family? That's just cruel.
Which comes back to the loudness of the US and the over-fixation on some events.
Certainly not, but when there were 3 articles on the negative side effects of Bubble Tea right after Migros introduced the beverage...and there was this tragedy and all you get is a 150 word snipplet on the event, editors ought to re-asses priorities IMO.
America popular??? Think again!!!
What do you mean by "America". If you mean USA, then we must be living on different planets!
Amen! Do what I do and filter out the noise. Nobody is forcing anyone to watch/read/listen to whatever comes out of their news/entertainment outlet. You can always change the channel, turn the page or simply switch off.
I know US politics in particular can be like a train wreck: hard to look away, but if you limit your "viewing" you will be better off. It's called self-preservation. This is my approach and it's worked for me.
That's fantastic, only how many new public buildings are being constructed? Hardly any. Most Public buildings are some sort of place with historic value and thus, it is almost impossible to undertake any structural changes to them. FYI, my office is brand spanking new and there is not only no elevator to the 2nd story underground parking lot there are no emergency escape paths either. I guess town planning's focus must be directed to other areas, as this is probably the most basic standard of any modern building.
Internet shopping is still not up to its prime in Switzerland and I do not know any elderly person who shops online. As a matter of fact, don't we all see hoards of retired people waiting for shops to open early in the morning.
I do not know how long, long enough is. However, as somebody who lives here, I would certainly like to be informed about the gruesome reality our society has to face on a daily basis.
I don't either as, indeed, the more places I live, the more convinced I become that everything is more or less the same when all is said and done. I also don't do the whole 'social media', a.k.a. giving the marketing asshats all your information for free in perpetuity, which tends to make the signal louder than the noise.
Yes, Americans like to offer their opinions to anyone who will hear or read them as, unlike most Europeans, they still believe someone else might give a damn or that they may just have the power of +1 to change things. Of course, when it comes to politics they're hopelessly misguided, but I've come to appreciate the land of unwavering optimism even if I can't bear to read most news or comments on the web anymore. It's a fine line - one of the reasons I couldn't stay in Finland was due to Finns toeing the line of consensus and giving up on optimism (and any form thereof) very early in life, a little more extreme than most Europeans to the South but it's a common theme in most of Europe, to keep your nose in line and don't get too ambitious. Americans don't have to do much to seem totally obnoxious by comparison.
As for Akin, JFC on a pogostick this is going to get interesting as he's killing most of the hope for the Romney campaign and he's hanging in there in spite of everyone telling him to quit. He's an idiot but, he wouldn't be the first to get elected. It's really something to see someone spout the kind of nonsense the extreme right wingers talk about openly, but quietly, only to get throttled when folks are reminded that most voters are women and women tend to lead the household voting pattern. Imma gettin' the popcorn out for this one as I'm sure the Daily Show is going to be giggles all the way to November with this guy (if he hangs in there).
Actually, The Newshour on PBS is the best news outlet in the US. It is truly "fair and balanced" and presents both sides, without any left/right bias or editorializing. The anchors, who used to be Jim Lehrer and Robert MacNeil, were always very professional. Not sure who replaced them.
That was the only news I watched when I lived in the US.
Just the facts, please; leave the bluster to the blowhards
might explain why i live in switzerland.
I am not so sure that the speed to which information travels makes it noise, and just noise... the facts are that the more information that is out there, the more people can have opinions and make up opinions on important, and not so important matters, but at least have an opinion.
I would much prefer to have 10 times the amount of "noise" as you call it, than so much less to not have a clue, and then be asked to make a decision based on what I know nothing about.
Also, how does this make the US loud? Obnoxious at times I would agree, but I don't see how it correlates to loudness.
As for STFU and GBTW... well.. couldn't someone just say the same to you for taking the time to spread this noise here? I'm not implying nor saying it, but, if it is good for the goose, it should be equally fine for the gander!!
so people cannot network on FB?
actually, didnt you indeed just say it, just there? and i think your implication comes through quite clearly. Although the passive aggressive back pedalling is appreciated.
i mean, im not saying youre being passive aggressive, but y'know, youre being passive aggressive. maybe. under certain circumstances. which are not these.
to your other point though, well, if it the "loudness" of the "noise" created by the US media and americans online etc doesnt bother you, well, fair enough.
i think youre making a bit of a logical fallacy though by saying its either endure noise and be informed, or not have it, and not be. Surely there are ways to maintain contacts with friends, inform ones self about the happenings du jour and not be subjected to a tidal wave of BS?
to reiterate the OP though, my thoughts were more around "does anyone have this experience" or "has anyone else come to think this way after having been away from the US for some length of time."