Re: American Communities

Remy Dim 13 Jan - 4:03

Hi Gerard,

well, if you belong to an association for the twinning between two towns, or a club of cyclists for instance, it's different from a religious or a political association. In the first case, people don't identify themselves through this association and are not gathered to defend their interests. Mutual aid is not compulsory.

gerardM Dim 13 Jan - 11:47

Hi Remy,

Remy a écrit:Hi Gerard,

well, if you belong to an association for the twinning between two towns, or a club of cyclists for instance, it's different from a religious or a political association. In the first case, people don't identify themselves through this association and are not gathered to defend their interests. Mutual aid is not compulsory.

Thanks for your words.
Which one is an association and which is a community? in a community, are members closer from one another (I think I got it - association is something administrative or legal, community is more about links and sentiments, right)?

Another question in my head: you (or I, I don't know) wrote about the success of Associations in France. Would it be because cities provide subsidies??
As I wrote (don't know if you agree), the French love subsidies... and it's a big cause for our issues (very difficult to cancel "acquis sociaux" - I'm aware "acquis sociaux" are not only subsidies by cities).

NB: I use the French "acquis sociaux": the English words for this are "social benefits".

gerardM Lun 14 Jan - 11:54

Hi everyone,

Re the specificity of American Communities, here's what I read today on Facebook:

Taos Police Department
Let’s test the power of this Facebook page…….the results will be posted at the end of the month!
We currently have 3,300 “likes” for our Facebook page and that is astounding for a community of 6,000 residents! We’ve tried to promote this page as a public information resource for our communities, but we are wondering just how many of our “likers” live in Northern New Mexico? So let’s test the true power of this “real time” emergency communications option for the Taos region.
You will receive this message as result of “liking” our page….now imagine this message reports a missing or abducted child from the Taos area….a crisis event in Taos that significantly impacts community welfare…..or a multi-day challenge that requires timely communication to the public on where to go for water, medical aid for a pandemic flu response, or shelter and Red Cross services related to utility failure or other significant threat.
If, as a follower of our Facebook page, you could contribute to or benefit from that emergency message by keeping an eye out for that missing child, or from the information shared through this media…….just respond with a click of the “like” button! If you’d like to comment with suggestions as well…go for it!

First, it's the local police page (not as popular in France Smile

), then -2- 3,300 "likes" out of 6,000 residents, then -3- we can notice that the police are aware of Facebook.

NB: The link to "Taos Police Department" that I gave above is the URL of their account. Today, the message I'm pointing out is at top but it won't be in a few months so if you read this in several month you might not see this specific topic.

gerardM Lun 14 Jan - 12:07

Hi again,

I would like to still insist for a few minutes on the account of Taos Police Department on Facebook.

I already said it was up to date and effective.

They are using this FB account to:
- make a test as written in previous message; after 8 hours, they got 285 likes and 45 comments
- alert regarding the weather: "Bitter Cold Weekend..."
- publish photos of their interventions e.g. a fire... with humor: "Okay, so we are police officers......not photographers!"
- advice, still with humor
We would like to remind everyone if you are going out tonight to celebrate the New Year, to please do not drink and drive, but if you do drink, drink responsible and have a safe and fun New Year!!
- etc.

I personally find this nice!
I'd like to see this relationship in France!

I remind you the police officers (the sheriff) are elected by the residents.

MurielB Lun 14 Jan - 19:17

Hi Gerard !
what about our polyglot community ! why not copy the Americans in their way of being nice to one another ! Very Happy

gerardM Lun 14 Jan - 22:58

Muriel,

Nice aim indeed!

gerardM Mer 6 Fév - 22:52

Hi everyone,

Had I to convince you about American Communities, here's a first example from Facebook:

What time and day do you arrive at Seattle airport for Summit? This poll is intended to help people find car and taxi shares

-1- you can see people trying to organize
-2- you can see that Americans are not Uncle Sam as they immediately think of saving money.
NB: The poster is not the organizer of the "Summit" but simply an attendee.

gerardM Mer 6 Fév - 23:01

Hi everyone,

I repeat: "Nothing like American Communities."Immediate help is natural.
Anyone intending to live in the States has to understand this otherwise they would miss their staying.

Below is a conversation between two American guys who don't know each other but they go to the same meeting (and will probably meet):

Shawn Keene
Can't wait for #MVP13 Summit! I'm arriving the Friday prior to the summit to explore around Seattle. Any word on when the summit schedule builder will be available?
Rob Brown
Shawn are you staying in Seattle or Bellevue (where the summit is held)? Need any links such as to Public Transportation?
Believe it or not I can't answer your question - NDA.
Some of us locals were invited to Seahawk's stadium, CenturyLink Field, for a taste test of the food for the Summit Party and I can say it was pretty good.
If I can provide any information to help let me know.
Hope to see you and many familiar and unfamiliar faces soon!
Shawn Keene
That'd be awesome, I'm looking for some hotels and found a few in Seattle, then I'll be at the Hyatt during the summit itself. Transportation is still up in the air. I'm hoping to use public transport as much as possible.
Rob Brown
Shawn a decent place not too expensive in downtown Seattle is the Bell Town Inn at 3rd and Bell. And it is historic Belltown which is the north end of downtown. They often have deals on Expedia and so on however you probably can get the same deal booking by a direct call. Note it does not have a restaurant or bar or similar amenities however there are plenty of those in the neighborhood. A grocery is across the street, 100 feet away.
Bell Town Inn http://www.belltown-inn.com/
Other choices can be found using your favorite search engine.
There is bus/train from the Airport to Downtown and from Downtown to Bellevue.
MetroKC - Seattle and King County Bus - Bellevue is also in King
County. http://metro.kingcounty.gov/
Sound Transit - Bus from Seattle to and around Bellevue http://www.soundtransit.org/
Metro Trip Planner - works for both MetroKC and Sound Transit Buses http://tripplanner.kingcounty.gov/cgi-bin/itin_page.pl
Sound Transit also as a Trip Planner of their main page above which
works for their routes.
I will be taking this bus on Sunday 2/17 to Bellevue for the Summit
It runs in the Bus Tunnel downtown still on 3rd Ave which is a 1/3
mile or so from the Bell Town Inn. There is MetroKC bus service right
at the Bell Town Inn to get to the Bus Tunnel. It goes close to the Hyatt and Sheraton (where registration is). There will buses to
the other hotels there.
http://www.soundtransit.org/Schedules/ST-Express-Bus/550?tab=Sunday
Give me a call - my number is available on the Private MVP Site.
You have to sign-in to see private email and phone number. https://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/Rob1
Shawn Keen
Wow this is a wealth of info. Thanks

NB: None in this exchange is the poster of my previous message.

There're lots of such subjects these days...

I personally met this behavior aound 2000 on an American forum and was stunned... I'd never seen this in France.
Now that I know what and where to look at, I've got lots of examples: American guys are amazingly nice.

MurielB Jeu 7 Fév - 8:36

Ok, Gérard we will try to become nicer in the future. It's such a good quality to be nice : lovincrowne:

gerardM Jeu 7 Fév - 10:45

LOL

Kind of you Muriel!

I don't doubt (Ghislaine, I didn't forget the "b" Wink

) you're very nice!
However, the French way isn't so.

My posts weren't here to ask for more communitarism but to point out some of the traits we think to be American, are not: Americans don't have the hardest heart; Americans are not greedy and wealthy.
Yes they like weapons; yes they speak money and jobs naturally; yes they like limos; yes they're more religious than us; yes they don't care about the French and other Europeans.

gerardM Ven 19 Avr - 19:53

Hi everyone,

Maybe not a joyful example but this shows some features of the American civilization.

-> (Daily News) Manhunt under way for Boston Marathon terrorist after wild shootout, car chase and explosions in Boston area.
-> (SkyNews) Boston Marathon Bombings 'Terror' Suspect Hunt

First, Americans help cops.
Here is an article looking like what we could see in western films: the police ask for help from anyone in the population and this American population will help for sure; of course, the circomstances were horrible but as a matter of facts, even if Americans love freedom, they hate disorder.

Second, Americans consider they always have something to do, they have to deal with any event in the US.
OK there are professional cops but the population doesn't count on them only, they help, and they want to know and make their own judgment on the situation (you know they have guns; you know they are ready to fight - see the civilian patrols checking the Mexican boarder).
In these articles, we can find lots of details that we would never see in France -at least, that's what I think-: faces of suspected young persons, photos of the police.

Third, and that's why I post here, the 2 guys are Chechens.
In my opinion, though they got scholarship from the American government, though their future was to be far better than in their native country, though the younger had an angel face, they didn't understand what American communities were and had no chance to get integrated and share the American dream.
I may be wrong or exaggerate but I wrote several times here that many people try to emigrate to the US but cannot understand how the society works.

Any comments?

MurielB Ven 19 Avr - 22:23

There is a saying in English "United we stand, divided we fall". The Americans have understood that before us. I think it is the evolution right direction.

gerardM Sam 20 Avr - 9:58

Hi Muriel, hi everyone,

This is what flourishes on American forums these days:

American Communities - Page 2 11770_4612921091207_58600532_n

This shows the American character and conception of community.

gerardM Sam 20 Avr - 10:00

Hi,

Can you imagine in France, a message as important as announcing the end of manhunt (allowing Bostonians to go out their houses), published (in France) via Twitter?

That shows the relationship between American citizens and their police.

MurielB Mar 23 Avr - 8:17

Hello Gérard, everyone
When a disaster occurs I can't predict my own behaviour. Will it be courage ? fear ? or worse than that ? I hope to behave like the Americans did in Boston but I am never sure. It makes me think of a song by JJ Goldman ""si j'étais né en 17 à Leidensstadt ". I don't blame anyone because I don't know who I am. Like everyone else I can be an angel or a devil. I feel modest about that. whatever our membership or our country we are never superior .

gerardM Ven 3 Mai - 23:31

Hi everyone,

If necessary to show another example of American Communities, here's a picture widely posted on American forums these days

American Communities - Page 2 484450_10151426137148170_1643158267_n

gerardM Ven 24 Mai - 20:11

Hi everyone,

I had the opportunity to write in several occasions (in different topics) that Americans could write about feeling, naturally, and far easier than the French.

I took the example of deaths.

This could be funnier but I'd like to let you read such an example (about a recent death).

2 remarks:

-1- read the announcement of the son of the lady who died, it's a rather long message: would we write like this in France?... give details? speak about personal information?
Read the comments: would you respond this way or would you be shorter and conventional?
Do you feel what I meant when I was saying American spoke about feelings, were nicer...

-2- something new nowadays: with the Internet, the son didn't know a big part of his mother's life.
He didn't know his mother had so many friends on the Internet, she was a kind of star.

I also have such examples in France: the family discovering the "fame" of a father, a mother - I have the impression cyber-friends are usually far nicer, including the French.

-> The saddest news…. ("Technogran's Tales")

A comment written by an American friend of mine, that you cannot read as it is displayed on an area of Internet that you cannot access:

Thank you for letting us know, Andre. Your description of Sandra is spot on. She was indeed a lovely lady and will be missed not only by here family and "real-life" friends but also by the many people she reached online.

She was not responding to a member of the family but to a friend of hers.

~~ edit

You can also read Who the heck am I? and the comments to see other aspects of the American spirit.

gerardM Sam 15 Juin - 21:51

Hi everyone,
American Communities - Page 2 1009876_637153209631157_269493777_n

gerardM Jeu 12 Sep - 21:58

Hi everyone,

This is personal as Corrine Chorney is a friend of mine.

I post this to show you a side of American communities.

Ridge Culver Professional Firefighters Association, Local 4176 · 6 septembre, 18:52 · ..
Group 3 responded last night for a person passed out. Upon arrival E184's crew declared a Medical 500 (patient lacking respirations or pulse). CPR was initiated and care was coordinated with Irondequoit Ambulance. Pt. regained spontaneous respirations and pulses on scene. Job well done!

( https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=498995163528783&id=470755293019437 )
This is the public report of a rescue operation they peformed, simply posted on Facebook.
Corrine's husband had a very serious heart attack... a miracle they saved him.
This is Corrine's posting:

Corrine Chorney I cannot thank you enough. You saved my husband's life. You kept me calm (well, as calm as could be expected). Dear Jay wasn't even working last night but heard the call and contacted Heidi Jeffers who came to give me support.

In these exchanges, we can see lots of features of the American life: religious aspect, public posting, close relationship b/w population and rescuers, sincere thanks, easy words of comforting, etc.
So many differences with the French way of life: stones at the rescuers, privacy of feelings, privacy of publication, etc.

MurielB Jeu 12 Sep - 22:10

gerardM a écrit:
stones at the rescuers, privacy of feelings, privacy of publication, etc.

Hi Gérard ! do you think that the french are as bad as that ?

gerardM Jeu 12 Sep - 22:35

Hi Muriel,

MurielB a écrit:
gerardM a écrit:
stones at the rescuers, privacy of feelings, privacy of publication, etc.
Hi Gérard ! do you think that the french are as bad as that ?

Unfortunately, that's what we can read: a shameful tendancy.

Tonight on TV ("Envoyé spécial"), I heard the French were #1 for cannabis: nothing surprises me!

MurielB Ven 13 Sep - 8:43

Hi Gérard, hi everyone !
I think that the problem in France is the clash of cultures. When Young people rob a bank or a supermarket, they are amazed when the owner défends himself. When one of them is killed, they think it is the owner's fault. They can't understand that the owner was desesperated. Why doesn't he get fleeced and keep quiet ?
However I think that immigration brings a lot to France. I have an iranese friend who spent 6 months in Sangatte Camp and who is now happily married with a good job. I remember he taught us Farsi and it was nice. I believe in communication and unfortunately when people are politically minded or religious minded it is impossible. I also believe in intelligence and kindness.

gerardM Mar 1 Oct - 11:08

Hi everyone,

I wanted you to have the opportunity to read, and see, and hear about the American style: his last show at Microsoft's.
I mean Steve Ballmer said Thank you & Good Bye to the Microsoftees.

American Communities - Page 2 611573_0203035804033_web_tete

-> (Les Echos) Microsoft : Steve Ballmer fait de ses adieux un véritable show

The article is written in French (Les Echos).

I wanted to show you this because there's oodles of American stuff in it.
- you can read the French article
- you can listen to the speech in American
- you can watch the style of an American CEO and particularly, the one of Microsoft, Steve Ballmer
- could you notice the tie?
- could you see the greatness, the grandiloquence, the pomposity?
You'll see here the American style.

By the way, I've had the opportunity to attend many shows by SteveB: this one is nothing compared to many others in which he is dancong, singing, shouting, etc. no ridicule in America.
I've got records of SteveB's usual shows, it's far more! it's worse! You can see him behave like a donkey, or similar...

Bye SteveB!