All countries are different, tell me a fact about your country.

[lost_in_c]

That's kind of awesome. It happens a lot in Latin languages too, that random words mean different but poetically connected things.

Yeah. In Germany the receiving driver is more likely to go into road rage than in the US, that's one reason why they punish the finger.

Lol preventive measures.

 

[astyle]

In US, there is such a thing as 'harassment'... they will eventually punish the finger if it happens enough times. Unfortunately, they do require actual documentation of the finger - like timestamped security cam footage. Just how many times will the same guy flip me off, cut me off, and put in effort to rile me up? And it's OK for the guy to get away with it???

Some states do have a 'stand your ground' doctrine (like Texas, IIRC).

 

[scottro]

It's funny, to me, how something in your language doesn't occur to you. For example, in English, we say good bye which is a way of saying God be with you. If one believes in God, that's a pretty nice thing to say. I remember pointing out to my Japanese friends, that a term for tomorrow, ashita 明日, which means tomorrow, can also mean Bright Day, or clear day, which struck me as rather poetic, in the sense that no matter what today was, tomorrow will be a bright day. On the other hand, a common word for thank you arigatou, basically translates as life is hard. 有難う. And my wife and other native Japanese speakers realize it subconsciously, but they never thought about it, till I brought it up.

I'm sure that every language has similar optimistic and pessimistic meanings, and other deep meanings that lie behind common phrases, that the native speaker doesn't realize because they hear it so often that if there's sentiment behind its origin, it's become meaningless.

 

[astyle]

It's funny, to me, how something in your language doesn't occur to you. For example, in English, we say good bye which is a way of saying God be with you. If one believes in God, that's a pretty nice thing to say. I remember pointing out to my Japanese friends, that a term for tomorrow, ashita 明日, which means tomorrow, can also mean Bright Day, or clear day, which struck me as rather poetic, in the sense that no matter what today was, tomorrow will be a bright day. On the other hand, a common word for thank you arigatou, basically translates as life is hard. 有難う. And my wife and other native Japanese speakers realize it subconsciously, but they never thought about it, till I brought it up.

I'm sure that every language has similar optimistic and pessimistic meanings, and other deep meanings that lie behind common phrases, that the native speaker doesn't realize because they hear it so often that if there's sentiment behind its origin, it's become meaningless.

Sometimes, the meaning of the word goes beyond sentiment... For example, take the word "обожраться". It's got the connotations of very heavy drinking of alcohol (primarily vodka), being hung over, or over-eating to the point of just going to sleep, or having a stomach-ache, to the point of hugging the toilet, or to the point of starting to hate whatever you overate on. Sometimes it's literal, sometimes it's figurative. When someone uses THAT word, it's commonly understood to have sarcastic, rude, derogatory, and generally very coloful sentiment that you'd normally would not read/hear in polite company.

Sometimes, it's used in light teasing / poking fun at someone (although you gotta have warm company for that kind of talk).

 

[bxbzq]

I'd have to get a LOT of facts straight and confirmed with credible, verifiable research before making further claims to explain myself and make my point.

How about this simple fact?
In this country, a couple cannot have more children than the government-imposed limit. This limit used to be one, but now it's three. This change wasn't due to a change of heart - if they have one, but rather to the need for more cheap labor for economic development.
Ironically, in the old civilization, the one they destroyed and the one they claim as their heir, people believed in the concept of more children, more blessings.

 

[astyle]

In this country, a couple cannot have more children than the government-imposed limit. This limit used to be one, but now it's three. This change wasn't due to a change of heart - if they have one, but rather to the need for more cheap labor for economic development.

Now with this clue, China is the only country I know of that fits the bill.

 

[bxbzq]

This is what I heard.
This is the only country in the world where divorce can be granted on the grounds of emotional discord.

 

[astyle]

This is the only country in the world where divorce can be granted on the grounds of emotional discord.

Now THAT is not true. In the US, it's perfectly possible to get legally divorced over that, as well.

Some churches don't like that, and will try to make it financially difficult to get a divorce on such grounds. But for civil marriages/partnerships, emotional discord is not an outlandish reason for separation. File some paperwork, pay some fees, done.

Now trying to derive a profit from the whole debacle - then both sides get into ugly fights and blow money on divorce attorneys. The longer the fight, the richer the divorce attorney gets. And considering how many of them drive Ferraris...

 

[bxbzq]

Now THAT is not true. In the US, it's perfectly possible to get legally divorced over that, as well.

Some churches don't like that, and will try to make it financially difficult to get a divorce on such grounds. But for civil marriages/partnerships, emotional discord is not an outlandish reason for separation. File some paperwork, pay some fees, done.

Now trying to derive a profit from the whole debacle - then both sides get into ugly fights and blow money on divorce attorneys. The longer the fight, the richer the divorce attorney gets. And considering how many of them drive Ferraris...

Do you mean non-fault divorce?
Do you need to explain to the court specific grounds for divorce, such as sexual discord or dislike for your spouse's fashion sense?
In China, marriage has no religious connotations. Just like civil unions in the US, simply stating emotional discord is sufficient grounds for divorce.

 

[Crivens]

Hello there.

Certainly not allowed.

Well, in fact - it is.
Let me elaborate. The very first article in our "constitution", the base of law, the Grundgesetz, states that the dignitiy of a human is not to be touched. This is the base for things like welfare, because the state has to make sure you can live in dignity. This defines a "judical object", which can be defended by self defense. See Bundesgerichtshof, 17. may 2018, StR622/17. There are limits, of course. If you can counter that with the same coin, you have to use that. But if you can't, and there is no other way to stop the attack on your honor, you can stop it by force. In this case, use a knife. The usual circus comes to town when someone uses self defense other than calling the cops or running away, but this ruling says, yes, you can defend your honor and dignity by force if you have to.

Funniest thing was learning words that sound the same and often spelled similarly, but have very different meaning

Ahh, good old "false friends". I'm still looking for the text, but there is a speech which makes use of them in a hillarious way.
The head of the bussiness league wants to make a speech, it starts with "Me, as the chef of the undertaker union..."

This limit used to be one, but now it's three.

In fact it is still one, mostly, because there simply is no living space for more than one child due to the appartments having been build with that limit for decades. How do they get around that?

 

[lost_in_c]

In fact it is still one, mostly, because there simply is no living space for more than one child due to the appartments having been build with that limit for decades. How do they get around that?

Yes lol good point, clearly population control is the only answer. Chemical castration preferrable. I wonder if that was ever proposed west of the Urals?

Certainly not allowed.

Well, in fact - it is.
Let me elaborate. The very first article in our "constitution", the base of law, the Grundgesetz, states that the dignitiy of a human is not to be touched. This is the base for things like welfare, because the state has to make sure you can live in dignity. This defines a "judical object", which can be defended by self defense. See Bundesgerichtshof, 17. may 2018, StR622/17. There are limits, of course. If you can counter that with the same coin, you have to use that. But if you can't, and there is no other way to stop the attack on your honor, you can stop it by force. In this case, use a knife. The usual circus comes to town when someone uses self defense other than calling the cops or running away, but this ruling says, yes, you can defend your honor and dignity by force if you have to.

What I'm writting down in my notebook for all this is that Germany has a different constitutional paradigm, where you are responsible not only for the effect of your quantifiable physical actions on another, but your behavior. On one side, this is sort of the way I already think. On the other, I am somewhat insulted by the government being involved either way.

A little ying, little yang.

 

[fernandel]

Yes lol good point, clearly population control is the only answer. Chemical castration preferrable. I wonder if that was ever proposed west of the Urals?



What I'm writting down in my notebook for all this is that Germany has a different constitutional paradigm, where you are responsible not only for the effect of your quantifiable physical actions on another, but your behavior. On one side, this is sort of the way I already think. On the other, I am somewhat insulted by the government being involved either way.

A little ying, little yang.

And who will decided your racial idea about chemical castration??

 

[lost_in_c]

I was being sarcastic. I obviously think the idea is ludicrous.

The better question is, if it shocks you when it is suggested for Europe, why doesn't it shock you when it applies to China? It's barbaric that their government has a population control policy, and it's just as barbaric when people try to whitewash it.

They do have a very strong propaganda arm.

 

[astyle]

The better question is, if it shocks you when it is suggested for Europe, why doesn't it shock you when it applies to China? It's barbaric that their government has a population control policy, and it's just as barbaric when people try to whitewash it.

Until you discover that there's only a limited amount of land to support that many people, and no, you can't exactly go around the planet making war and impose your will on other countries. You can only take an idea so far before it becomes just impractical, unsustainable. Yeah, you want all the videos in the world, but only so much SSD space. Unfortunate, but yes, needs to be considered, even if it doesn't sit well with you. One hella mindbreak, huh? Especially when no, you don't have resources coming in (from where, exactly?) to support your wish.

 

[vmisev]

Until you discover that there's only a limited amount of land to support that many people, and no, you can't exactly go around the planet making war and impose your will on other countries. You can only take an idea so far before it becomes just impractical, unsustainable. Yeah, you want all the videos in the world, but only so much SSD space. Unfortunate, but yes, needs to be considered, even if it doesn't sit well with you. One hella mindbreak, huh? Especially when no, you don't have resources coming in (from where, exactly?) to support your wish.

Land per se doesn’t have to be problematic, we have already many solutions to mitigate this problem. A lot of other crops that can serve as human food can be grown this way. Only factors that can be limiting are energy (esp. electricity) and water, and first is heavily influenced by politics, IDK what is smart thing to do with the other, although with enough energy maybe desalination?

 

[astyle]

Land per se doesn’t have to be problematic, we have already many solutions to mitigate this problem. A lot of other crops that can serve as human food can be grown this way. Only factors that can be limiting are energy (esp. electricity) and water, and first is heavily influenced by politics, IDK what is smart thing to do with the other, although with enough energy maybe desalination?

It still takes being smart with the resources we have. We ultimately have only this planet to support us. There's kind of a reason why the middle of Australia is not exactly a magnet for a major metropolis, in spite of having plenty of room. When deciding whether or not to invest in a solution, one still needs to consider costs, benefits, scale needed, and how sustainable and profitable the venture is.

Did you know that in Paris, you can't exactly build a skyscraper? Local city laws prevent that. That kind of stuff, taking care of the population - that's the bane of every politician's career. Musk would not be able to build a gigafactory in France like he did in US. Sell his Teslas through a network of dealers in Paris? Sure. Production? Hard no from Macron.

 

[astyle]

In all honesty, we should probably stop before somebody else cuts us off, lost_in_c . We're not gonna solve the world's problems in this thread, and I'm beginning to get a sense that my arguments are being mocked and ridiculed rather than being given level-headed replies that imply any real knowledge of the situation.

I'm out.

 

[Crivens]

OK I did delete a bunch also.
This is strike two.

 

[Andrey Lanin]

In Russian we have "seventh bone from ass" for distant relatives.

more precisely polite - 'седьмая вода на киселе' (actually, that cannot be accuracy translated)

 

[cracauer@]

In my country an ambulance ride costs $20000, two nights in the hospital $55000 and a bottle of insulin $300 (I think typically that lasts a month).

 

[Andrey Lanin]

In my country, six dental implants (done within a year +/-) in the most expensive clinic cost $10,000

 

[vmisev]

In Russian we have "seventh bone from ass" for distant relatives.

more precisely polite - 'седьмая вода на киселе' (actually, that cannot be accuracy translated)

Well, it's not that hard to translate and explain (although, my Russian is basic). Translation to (US) English can be "shirttail cousin".

Literal translation is "seventh water on kissel", and "kissel" is a simple dish with the consistency of a thick gel, made of sweet fruit, berry, grains (oatmeal, rye, wheat), peas, or from milk. If 'kissel" (jelly) stands for a long time, it loses its taste, and a layer of water appears on it. The seventh water is the water that appears for the seventh time on a kisell (jelly) that has stood for a long time, which is why its taste has nothing in common with kissel (jelly).

 

[vmisev]

In my country an ambulance ride costs $20000, two nights in the hospital $55000 and a bottle of insulin $300 (I think typically that lasts a month).

Over here, ambulance ride if it is state owned costs 0, ride in private one will cost ~50 €. Night in in a state hospital costs 0, in the private ones ~1200-1500 €. Bottle of insulin can be issued on prescription only, so cost is 0.

BTW, I have state health insurance (full coverage), although I'm unemployed and I'm paying nothing into insurance fund, because "thanks" to my diagnosis, Multiple Sclerosis (G35) I fall into "incurable diseases" category, so state covers all for life (in state owned clinics of course; I'm paying regular prices in private clinics).

For example, for MRI I'll pay ~350 € in a private clinic, but I can make appointment for tomorrow and get results the same day. In state hospital it will be free, but I'll have to wait ~ 6–8 months for a term.

 

[cracauer@]

Over here, ambulance ride if it is state owned costs 0, ride in private one will cost ~50 €. Night in in a state hospital costs 0, in the private ones ~1200-1500 €. Bottle of insulin can be issued on prescription only, so cost is 0.

BTW, I have state health insurance (full coverage), although I'm unemployed and I'm paying nothing into insurance fund, because "thanks" to my diagnosis, Multiple Sclerosis (G35) I fall into "incurable diseases" category, so state covers all for life (in state owned clinics of course; I'm paying regular prices in private clinics).

For example, for MRI I'll pay ~350 € in a private clinic, but I can make appointment for tomorrow and get results the same day. In state hospital it will be free, but I'll have to wait ~ 6–8 months for a term.

Well, I was talking about pre-insurance cost. I realize that some countries don't have that as a concept. Although I would be curious how such countries charge visiting foreigners,

 

[vmisev]

Well, I was talking about pre-insurance cost. I realize that some countries don't have that as a concept. Although I would be curious how such countries charge visiting foreigners,

For a people that will spend over 30 days here (expats, etc.), best option is to go with one of the numerous private health insurers. I don't know actual prices, one must contact them directly to get idea about what will cost, but I'm sure it's not astronomical. AFAIK uninsured foreigners will pay prices as per official price list of the particular clinic (also, not astronomical), no extra charges for being foreigner.
For a visiting tourist's info is clearer and it depends on the country of origin, please see here, on Republic Fund Of Health Insurance