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So which country is best?

 
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... I vote England
 
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You are one sad, little, pathetic, morally confused anti-American!
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East or West Brazil is the best.
 
Richard Hawkes
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Originally posted by Mapraputa Is:
You are one sad, little, pathetic, morally confused anti-American!
I'm not sad
 
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Best at what ?....
 
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Originally posted by HS Thomas:
Best at what ?....
I dunno, just general stuff ...
 
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I vote for
 
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My country is best.
 
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England is clearly best don't you know.
I'm sorry Brazil cannot be best as it doesn't play cricket and therefore is full of savages...surely everyone knows that ?
 
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INDIA
 
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According to this article in the UK's New Scientist magazine, it's Nigeria!
 
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Originally posted by Eugene Kononov:
According to this article in the UK's New Scientist magazine, it's Nigeria!


This is the problem with the Russians the never give their opinion
 
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Any place but Spain!
Spain Pros:
More days of sunshine than any other European country.
Spain cons:
  • Low natality
  • High housing costs
  • 2nd lowest pay in Europe
  • We smoke more than any other European country
  • No one saves
  • More recreational drug use among young people than almost all other European countries
  • Weird schooling system makes average students think earning 50% on a test is great
  • Spanish Universities are expensive and elitist-- in-demand majors are virtually impossible to enter
  • Spaniards live at home with mama and papa until they are in their thirties because the combination of low pay and high housing costs make it impossible to do otherwise.


  • Thank god for Spanish sunshine, because if it wasn't for that there would be no reason to live here.
     
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    I don't know bout that Tim. I've lived in Italy and loved it. Yet most of the drawbacks you mention also apply to Italy.....
    I'd hate to be an Italian living in Italy, but for expats it was a great place to live.....
     
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    Originally posted by <Sameer Jamal>:

    This is the problem with the Russians the never give their opinion


    Why there is no russian resturants in usa? may be some ..who knows. But when compared to Chinese, Thai,Italian and Indian we can hardly find any russian resturants? Is it because russians are not good cooks or they dont eat food?
     
    Mapraputa Is
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    Why there is no russian resturants in usa?
    :roll:
    may be some ..who knows. But when compared to Chinese, Thai,Italian and Indian we can hardly find any russian resturants?
    Because Americans have a habit to drive to Russian restaurants. And Russian restaurants make no sense without vodka!
    --------------------
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    mister krabs
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    England can't be best because they have no skiing.
     
    HS Thomas
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    Who cares! Whatever happened to...
    Have you seen Australian water-skiers skiing on snow ?
    regards
     
    Richard Hawkes
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    Originally posted by HS Thomas:
    Who cares! Whatever happened to...
    I'd forgotten all about that little chap
     
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    Okay, if all four of my granparents were born in Russia (which they were), does make me Russian or Native American, since I was born in Washington DC, which is in the USA?
    And so, if I'm not Native American, then if I cooked something that was really tasty like borscht for example, and if say, vodka was somehow involved, then could that not be considered (by some stretch of the imagination) a Russian restaurant?
    But back to the original question, the answer is 42!!!
     
    Anonymous
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    Originally posted by mazha thulli:

    Why there is no russian resturants in usa? may be some ..who knows. But when compared to Chinese, Thai,Italian and Indian we can hardly find any russian resturants? Is it because russians are not good cooks or they dont eat food?


    To paraphrase an old European joke...
    What is heaven?
    Heaven is a place where the Chefs are French, the Mechanics are German, the policemen are English, the Lovers are Italian, and it's all organized by the Swiss.
    What is hell?
    Hell is a place where the Chefs are English, the Mechanics are French, the policemen are German, the lovers are Swiss...and everything's organized by the Italians.
    I told this joke to a Russian student of mine and of course he took offense that Russia had been excluded from the fun. I then asked him where he thought Russia would fit into the grand scheme of things and without hesitating he replied that the role of Russians in this heaven/hell scenario would be to "make babies." Upon further reflection, however, he came to the discouraging conclusion that Russia could probably be associated with most of the negative categories, while it would be hard to imagine Russia being recognized for any of the positive ones. And whether or not this is really the case, he at the very least believed this to be true.
    ...All of which leads directly to the ubiquitous dearth of Russian cuisine in America...and the occasional last-place finish in silly polls claiming to measure happiness.
     
    HS Thomas
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    Just how many ways are there to cook cabbage ?
    regards
    [ November 14, 2003: Message edited by: HS Thomas ]
     
    Mapraputa Is
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    Howard Kushner: Okay, if all four of my granparents were born in Russia (which they were), does make me Russian or Native American, since I was born in Washington DC, which is in the USA?
    It makes you a member of our JR Slavic Union! Currently we have five members: Thomas Paul, Joe Pluta, Eugene, me and Al Labout. Tom collects member fees, you'll have to eat potatoes every day, we will defend you from Americans and we also review each other books (sometimes).
    Al: Heaven is a place...
    I've heard an intercontinental variant of this joke!
    Heaven:
    British house
    Japanese wife
    Chinese chef
    American salary
    Hell:
    Japanese house
    British chef
    Chinese salary
    American wife
    I told this joke to a Russian student of mine and of course he took offense that Russia had been excluded from the fun.
    Sniff. No wonder. Russia is too big a country to fit into your Lilliputian European "grand" schemes!
    And whether or not this is really the case, he at the very least believed this to be true.
    You aren't trying to say that Russia is not the worst country ever, are you?
    --------------------
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    Languagehat
     
    Anonymous
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    Originally posted by Mapraputa Is:
    I've heard an intercontinental variant of this joke!


    ...Okay, now we're really getting at something here!
    Heaven:
    American salary
    Russian wife
    American house
    Russian sense of humor

    Hell:
    Russian salary
    American wife
    Russian house
    American sense of humor
    (Brrrrr...!!!)

    You aren't trying to say that Russia is not the worst country ever, are you?
    Of course not. Far be it from me to say something like that...!

    ...you'll have to eat potatoes every day, we will defend you from Americans and we also review each other books (sometimes).
    Yeah, we also trade long world-weary sighs...
    Currently we have five members: Thomas Paul, Joe Pluta, Eugene, me and Al Labout.
    Hey, who let Pluta in?!
     
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    Map: Currently we have five members: Thomas Paul, Joe Pluta, Eugene, me and Al Labout.
    Al: Hey, who let Pluta in?!
    Hey, I filled out a card, I thought I was getting a three-month subscription to Mad Magazine, and BOOM, I'm a member of the JR Slavic Union, or some such thing. All I know is that every two weeks I get a 50-pound bag of potatoes and a case of 150-proof vodka.
    P.S. As I was typing this I went to the Mad Magazine site. They're now a part of the Big Warner Brotherhood, and you cannot get into Brotherhood sites without Flash. Since I won't put Flash on this machine, I can't get in. Oh well... they just lost a possible subscription.
     
    John Smith
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    HS: Just how many ways are there to cook cabbage?
    When I served in the Russian military, the joke about a typical menu was pretty much close to reality:
    1. Soup: cabbage and water
    2. Main course: cabbage without water
    3. Desert: water from boiling cabbage
    Another Russian military joke:
    Officer: Hey you three, both of you come here!
    Three soldiers run to him and report: Private Ivanov! Private Petrov! Private Sidorov!
    Officer: You brothers or something?
    One of the soldiers: No, just same last name!
     
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    best country is Germany
    but only with
    - french football
    - italian weather
    - russian humour
    - cuban music
    - british commedy
    - finish schools
    - chilean girls/women
    - dutch agility of political process
    - us growth rates
    - polish prices
    - prohibition to use LotusNotes
    - british comedians
    - indian growth rates of software industry
    - dutch highways with german speed limit
    - french policy for families
     
    Howard Kushner
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    Originally posted by Mapraputa Is:
    you'll have to eat potatoes every day


    I generally eat potatos only with beef, and settle for rice or noodles with chicken.
    But I always have Luksusowa triple distilled potato vodka to keep up my potato intake.
    Is it a problem that it comes from Poland? Its seems that we send grain to Russia, and they turn the grain into vodka to sell back to us.
    [ November 15, 2003: Message edited by: Howard Kushner ]
     
    Mapraputa Is
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    Al: American sense of humor (Brrrrr...!!!)
    Hmmm...
    Seriously, do you think there is a difference between American and Russian sense of humor? I never believed there is, but once I posted one of my favorite Russian anecdotes here, and Tom said it isn't funny at all. If was from "Armenian radio answers":
    Q: What to do if the USA drop an atomic bomb on us?
    A: Wrap yourself into a white bed sheet and crawl to the nearest cemetery. Most important: be quiet!
    Q: Why should I be quiet?
    A: For not to provoke panic!
    As far as I remember all Russians who heard this anecdote laughed, but Tom said it is actually sad, not funny.
    Joe: Oh well... they just lost a possible subscription.
    Why do you need a subscription to Mad Magazine if you have a free subscription to Meaningless Drivel??!
    I know is that every two weeks I get a 50-pound bag of potatoes and a case of 150-proof vodka.
    ... But this is all we need to be happy!
    Howard: I generally eat potatos only with beef, and settle for rice or noodles with chicken.
    These sad days are over! Now, when you will get a 50-pound bag of potatoes every two weeks you can eat potatoes every day!!!
    But I always have Luksusowa triple distilled potato vodka to keep up my potato intake.
    "have" - but you do not keep it? "... according to Russian tradition it's a sin to leave an unfinished bottle of vodka."
    Twelve stories of Russia: A novel, I guess. p. 235.
    --------------------
    "Strip me of all my Java certifications, but please don't ban me from MD!" -- Eugene Kononov
     
    John Smith
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    Another Russian joke:
    Играет маленькая девочка в песочнице, мимо проходит мужик.
    - Дяденька, сколько времени?
    - А волшебное слово?
    - А в глаз лопаточкой?
    Translation, to the best of my ability:
    A small girl plays in a sandbox, and a man is passing by.
    -- Mister, what time is it?
    -- How about a magic word?
    -- How about my shovel in your eye?
     
    Mapraputa Is
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    How about a magic word?
    This means the girl should have said "please" when asking.
    --------------------
    "I think it's telling me in Russian that there are no matches for Mapraputa in English." -- HS Thomas
     
    John Smith
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    Map: This means the girl should have said "please" when asking.
    I don't think it was lost in my translation, Map. The "magic word" expression stands for the same thing in Russian and English. From Mannersmith, for example:
    "Ask any child 'What is the magic word?' and they will likely respond 'please'."
     
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    Interesting, I did not know there is a complete analog in English (and I unconsciously assumed there is not, as this would be unlikely). I should have known better, as surprisingly many colloquial expressions exist in both languages... Is this mostly because of borrowings, or are they results of independent convergent processes? In this particular case, a Russian magic word came from a children story, written by an Russian author (quick Internet search claims it was V.Oseeva) But then, proletarian writers weren't too shy to "borrow" ideas and plots, so who knows... What is the origin of English "magic word"?
    --------------------
    "if I had written Eclipse: Step-by-Step you wouldn't be able to get the smile off my face with a baseball bat." -- Thomas Paul
     
    Anonymous
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    Originally posted by Mapraputa Is:
    ...many colloquial expressions exist in both languages... Is this mostly because of borrowings, or are they results of independent convergent processes?


    I think it depends on the specific expression. For example, parallel expressions like English "don't look a gift horse in the mouth" and Russian "darrenomu koniu po zubam ne smotriat" probably come from a common, more ancient, source but were reinforced independently through common experience, i.e., owning horses and not appreciating someone else's generosity. But even if an expression is borrowed, it at least has to be amenable to the new consciousness for it to take hold. I find it interesting, for example, that in many languages the word for "tongue" (the muscle) also means "language." This would seem to suggest that this is a sort of intrinsic way that humans associate the two ideas. Also, it's quite common for indigenous peoples (Native Americans, Hawaiians, Maori, etc.) to refer to themselves in their own language as "the true people." Again there seems to be some underlying values at work in these expressions that transcends cultural and linguistic boundaries.
    As far as "magic word"...yes, we do have this saying in English. "What's the magic word?" I'm not too sure where this came from, but my guess would be some fairytale-type story where the hero is asked to declare a password in order to pass by some magic troll or gnome. This is a fairly common motif in children's stories and might have come down through both languages.
    Just a guess, though...
     
    Anonymous
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    Originally posted by Mapraputa Is:
    Seriously, do you think there is a difference between American and Russian sense of humor? I never believed there is, but once I posted one of my favorite Russian anecdotes here, and Tom said it isn't funny at all. If was from "Armenian radio answers":


    Well, of course! I mean what do you expect with Armenian radio?! Here's an experiment with another joke translated into English:
    Letter from America: "Dear Armenian Radio, How much does the average Soviet scientist make in a year?"
    Armenian Radio answers: "Yeah, well at least we don't lynch black people...!"

    Non-Slavic Union members.... How funny is this?
     
    HS Thomas
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    The English are taking on board the slurs on their culinary skills and broadening out.
    Trialing in Essex: Scorpion salad with smoked cobra fillet.
    As to English comedy :

    "Alan Partridge - "Smell the cheese"

    I suspect he is from Essex. No, from Norwich.
    Alan's Sporting Desk I guess you have to appreciate cricket too.
    At a Clive Anderson interview :
    "CA What�s your secret of how to do a good interview?
    AP I don�t know, it�s not an exact science. Not like physics or biology. If, for example, I was interviewing someone like Idi Amin.. A lot of people would think Idi Amin �butcher� who murdered a lot of people in Uganda but when you meet him there�s a whole other side to his character. He�s tremendously good at Connect Four.
    CA Right. And you�d bring that out of him?
    AP Of course. For example we all know the stories of him putting his wife�s head in the fridge. Now I�d obviously want to broach that but I wouldn�t say �Idi, what�s all this about you putting your wife�s head in the fridge?� That would be too obtuse. I�d simply say something like: �Idi, have you got any anecdotes about your time when you were the boss of Uganda? I�m thinking here about fridges?' A nod and a wink."
    regards
    [ November 16, 2003: Message edited by: HS Thomas ]
     
    HS Thomas
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    Non-Slavic Union members.... How funny is this?


    A bit close to home to be funny....
    regards
     
    John Smith
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    Al: and Russian "darrenomu koniu po zubam ne smotriat"
    Ah, you've just blown your cover, Al. You can't pass the authenticity test unless you know that the Russian proverb is actually "darenomu koniu v zubi ne smotriat". Does Monterey, California mean anything to you?
     
    Mapraputa Is
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    That's right! Prepositions! They are our revenge for articles!
    Ok, I feel better now...
    HT: A bit close to home to be funny...
    You see? Maybe there *are* regional differences in sense of humor...
    And speaking about regional differences, this map is for Tom (no pun intended):
    Persons of Czech Ancestry (Per 1,000 population)
    And this for Joe:
    Persons of Polish Ancestry (Per 1,000 population)
    --------------------
    "I couldn't ask you to miss my point more cleanly." - Michael Ernest
     
    Anonymous
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    Originally posted by Eugene Kononov:
    Al: and Russian "darrenomu koniu po zubam ne smotriat"
    Ah, you've just blown your cover, Al. You can't pass the authenticity test unless you know that the Russian proverb is actually "darenomu koniu v zubi ne smotriat". Does Monterey, California mean anything to you?


    Rats!!
     
    Don't get me started about those stupid light bulbs.
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