Odeon's visiting 'merica, fuck yeah!

[odeon]

Odeon,
Did you go to any black or latino neighborhoods?

Not that I know of. But then, I don't actually know who lives around the hotel. And I doubt central DC, Arlington or Pentagon City would qualify.

[odeon]

* Shop clerks will invariably greet you with "hello sir, how are you?" which will eventually drive you mad.
* Those same clerks will be extremely helpful whenever it's in their power to be helpful, but they will never ever take any initiatives that require them to cross boundaries to other people's job descriptions, especially someone higher up in the hierarchy.
* And the hierarchies are everywhere.

I know what you mean. I went to a gas station store with a question about the air pump, but the clerk was entirely unhelpful because the pump belonged to the garage which was closed. Finally, I asked if he had the number to the garage (two feet away, attached to the store, mind you), and he said he didn't know, to look it up in a phone book.

I walked outside and the number was on the garage door. HOW he did not have that on him, or at least know it was there, I have no idea. What if there was a fire or a crime or something...they OUGHT to be able to contact each other somehow...

 

Yes everything is increasingly specialised and bureaucratic. Just try and do some official business on the telephone. 

I don't think it's about specialisation or bureaucracy, tbh. I think it's about hierarchies and doing exactly what you're told to do. Why that is, I don't really know.

I like the politeness, sort of, even though it would drive me mad if I lived there. I'm too much of a loner to handle it in the long run.

Maybe that is why people do go mad and grab their guns.

[Parts]

* Shop clerks will invariably greet you with "hello sir, how are you?" which will eventually drive you mad.
* Those same clerks will be extremely helpful whenever it's in their power to be helpful, but they will never ever take any initiatives that require them to cross boundaries to other people's job descriptions, especially someone higher up in the hierarchy.
* And the hierarchies are everywhere.

I know what you mean. I went to a gas station store with a question about the air pump, but the clerk was entirely unhelpful because the pump belonged to the garage which was closed. Finally, I asked if he had the number to the garage (two feet away, attached to the store, mind you), and he said he didn't know, to look it up in a phone book.

I walked outside and the number was on the garage door. HOW he did not have that on him, or at least know it was there, I have no idea. What if there was a fire or a crime or something...they OUGHT to be able to contact each other somehow...

 

Yes everything is increasingly specialised and bureaucratic. Just try and do some official business on the telephone. 

A lot of times there is a button underneath the air compressor that will activate it.  Here in CT gas stations are required to have free air available but they try to trick you into paying for it making the compressor look like a vending machine but most all you have to do is hit the button underneath the compressor some you have to go in and ask though

[Parts]

* Shop clerks will invariably greet you with "hello sir, how are you?" which will eventually drive you mad.
* Those same clerks will be extremely helpful whenever it's in their power to be helpful, but they will never ever take any initiatives that require them to cross boundaries to other people's job descriptions, especially someone higher up in the hierarchy.
* And the hierarchies are everywhere.

I know what you mean. I went to a gas station store with a question about the air pump, but the clerk was entirely unhelpful because the pump belonged to the garage which was closed. Finally, I asked if he had the number to the garage (two feet away, attached to the store, mind you), and he said he didn't know, to look it up in a phone book.

I walked outside and the number was on the garage door. HOW he did not have that on him, or at least know it was there, I have no idea. What if there was a fire or a crime or something...they OUGHT to be able to contact each other somehow...

 

Yes everything is increasingly specialised and bureaucratic. Just try and do some official business on the telephone. 

I don't think it's about specialisation or bureaucracy, tbh. I think it's about hierarchies and doing exactly what you're told to do. Why that is, I don't really know.

I like the politeness, sort of, even though it would drive me mad if I lived there. I'm too much of a loner to handle it in the long run.

Maybe that is why people do go mad and grab their guns.

The politeness drives me mad at times it's excessive and forces an interaction out of you when most of the time I would rather be left alone.  As far as the hierarchies go it seems like nobody can make a decision on their own anymore without permission even about the littlest thing and I find it kinda sad

[odeon]

Yeah, it is sad. Not sure what to do about it.

At times at the hotel, I would avoid the reception because I knew they'd spot me and force their niceties on me, especially in the morning when all I wanted was a cup of coffee.

I like living in Prague hotels. You can have your morning coffee without being disturbed.

[Jack]

The ugly Americans are too polite.

[Parts]

A lot of people must like it though because it has really caught on.  For me  if I want to interact I will initiate it otherwise just a smile in enough especially in the morning.

[odeon]

Well, just stop being so... NICE!

["couldbecousin"]

  The over-friendliness truly enrages me when I get it from customer service reps over the phone!
   I call the cable company, just needing a signal sent to my box, and everything I say is met with
   "I certainly do apologize!  I'll be happy to help you with that!  Is it all right if I pull up your account record?
   To whom am I speaking?  May I call you couldbecousin?  I'm just going to send a signal through to your
   box, is that okay?  I would like to remind you that after this call you will have an opportunity to respond to
   a brief survey about your customer service experience!  Is there anything else I can help you with?
   I certainly do thank you for choosing X company, and have a pleasant day!"   


   I can't stand it!  Shut the fuck up and fix my fucking cable box!!!!!!!!!!!!   

[odeon]

It would be awesome to tell them that in the brief survey.

[Semicolon]

The ugly Americans are too polite.

If we're too polite, what are Canadians?

[Jack]

The ugly Americans are too polite.

If we're too polite, what are Canadians?

They're very sorry; remember?

[Semicolon]

The ugly Americans are too polite.

If we're too polite, what are Canadians?

They're very sorry; remember?

Link

[RageBeoulve]

You were duped by the Tea Party. THEY are the ones behind that false patriotism and hate for government. They just want the government to be controlled by their people.

Actually, no. I can't agree with you here, man. As stupid and assholish as I think the tea party is, I seriously doubt they have masterminded any devious plans to "take over". The problem is in partisan beliefs themselves. The strange (and incorrect) left/right paradigm that American politics operate around is nonsense and will always be geared towards the growth of government and decrease in individual responsibility.

Both sides work towards this, no matter what they say their goal is. The actions of both sides up until now should be ample evidence for anyone who has paid the slightest bit of attention.

I know you aren't really "blaming the tea party", but I think it needed to be said. The whole thing is evil nonsense, not just the tea party.

[El]

You were duped by the Tea Party. THEY are the ones behind that false patriotism and hate for government. They just want the government to be controlled by their people.

Actually, no. I can't agree with you here, man. As stupid and assholish as I think the tea party is, I seriously doubt they have masterminded any devious plans to "take over". The problem is in partisan beliefs themselves. The strange (and incorrect) left/right paradigm that American politics operate around is nonsense and will always be geared towards the growth of government and decrease in individual responsibility.

Both sides work towards this, no matter what they say their goal is. The actions of both sides up until now should be ample evidence for anyone who has paid the slightest bit of attention.

I know you aren't really "blaming the tea party", but I think it needed to be said. The whole thing is evil nonsense, not just the tea party.

This is another of those rare and beautiful moment where I agree with Rage. 

The media has had a lot to do with it (it's been mutually causal).  News sources can be increasingly tailored to specific audiences; sources of information are far more polarized than they used to be.