what is that you usually do or see in your country or area but is weird to do in other area you have traveled or vice versa?? like it is unusual to wear footwear indoors in asia.
Losing a ground war against flightless birds.
One of my favorite bits of weird history trivia.
@[email protected] , meet @[email protected].…
dude’s airing your dirty laundry in public.
I’m more than happy to replace him in your country. I’ll blend in ‘swimming-costume-wearing-at-lunch’ in no time.
Easy: school shootings, together with politician denial about the causes of this, guns, and lack of regulation for who owns them, make owning guns easier than getting a driver’s license.
Super sad, but here we are.
The police kills more people every year than the amount of people killed in mass shootings since 1983. They also repeatedly ignore reports of people who go on to commit school shootings.
You should look into common sense pig control. I think that would save more lives than just being hysterical about AR-15s.
2024
Police- 1270
Mass shootings- 500ish (actually a down year)
While I agree we need police reform, let’s be accurate.
Both problems need extensive work.
Mass shootings are likely now what we all imagine. I think most of us are imagining the left side of this chart. And I’d say the leftmost three sources are hardly conservative. :)
Yeah, the “high schooler shoots up a school” or “crazy guy shoots up a mall” school shootings are incredibly rare. The majority of “mass shootings” are gang related violence. And even if you include all the instances and assumed you were equally likely to be involved in any of them (you aren’t), it would still be incredibly unlikely for you to ever be involved in such a situation.
Gun deaths in general are not what most people imagine they are. 2/3 of them are suicides. Of the remaining 1/3, they will almost certainly be perpatrated by someone the victim had a pre-existing relationship with.
Not to say that gun violence is not a problem. But the view some of the lunatics on this site seem to have - that going out to eat lunch in America is more dangerous than living in Gaza - is just completely false.
We’re mostly agreed. But suicides and “gang violence” and “man shoots family” shouldn’t be discounted, but OTOH, they don’t count as random, and random is what most people fear. Gun violence isn’t random. Vehicular death is random, at about the same rate. And we don’t talk about that.
Always said, America doesn’t have a gun problem. We have a culture problem.
Oh whoop, wrong. There’s been only 14 deaths. Which one of these are actual mass shootings and not something the FBI defines as one but the media doesn’t? Like a bunch of gangbangers shooting at each other, wounding nobody, and causing a stampede that results in people twisting their ankles? That’s considered a mass shooting by the FBI.
I pulled the numbers straight from here. Since 1983, 1176 people were killed in mass shootings.
Also, implying that the “mass shooting problem” requires “extensive work” is not good optics. All that America needs to do is suppress extremist right wing bullshit and mass shootings will cease to exist. Controlling the police on the other hand would require a lot more political power and a lot of reforms, but it would both reduce the amount of deaths AND curb down mass shootings at the same time because literally every single mass shooter only got to commit it because the cops didn’t care.
1: Your source uses FBI data.
2: The criteria is clearly spelled out in your own source, and it changed in 2013 to be more strict.
3: Our mass shooting problem definitely requires extensive work.
4: Extremist violence does account for the vast majority, and right wing is the vast majority of extremist violence, especially if you count religious extremists. However, the abundance of guns certainly adds more since we are not the most extreme religious country, nor do we have the most percentage of right-wing idealologically aligned people.
5: Forcing cops to care has never worked because, according to SCOTUS, they’re not required to do their job, even while on shift and present. Also, the most red flag sign of gun violence is domestic abuse, which most cops do on the regular, as well as right wing extremist ideation, which most cops engage in already. We’d be better off firing the domestic abusers and domestic terrorists that make up the majority and hiring social workers for most roles.
Abundance of guns does not indicate that the country is more prone to violence, though. Switzerland has significantly laxer laws on who can own a gun than over 20 US states, EVERYONE is obligated to own a fully automatic SG550 from their military service, and a vibrant gun culture, and yet, no one’s going around shooting people. It’s a result of right wing extremism, decades of propaganda running on people’s TVs, toxic right wing gun culture that is not countered by responsible gun culture from the left because liberals hate guns (and only because it became a problem for them after school shootings became common), and the refusal of government to address those issues. To add to that, white liberals literally take over ANY gun control talk and make it about their white feelings. That’s exactly what’s happening here with you. Despite minorities being the lead in support for gun control, we literally do NOT ever get to talk about our experiences. The only thing that matters in gun control discussions is white liberals putting their feelings and their feelings ONLY in the table, and advocating for assault weapon bans (which wouldn’t matter), universal background checks (that already exist) and “common sense gun control” (which they change the definition every time to suit what they think). And liberal politicians also add fuel to the fire by EXCLUDING COPS FROM CERTAIN BANS and giving them more and more budget to “fight crime” every year.
There is no such thing as a “mass shooting problem” because it literally kills less people per year than GETTING STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. The media turns every single one of those into a spectacle and that’s why the majority of people think it’s such a problem. Police violence, on the other hand, is NOT statistically insignificant, and especially not for POC. After the assassination of the UHC CEO, the media literally turned every other time a CEO died into just a damn footnote, BECAUSE THEY DID NOT WANT COPYCATS. The media can stop making those mass shootings a spectacle, but they won’t, because IT GIVES THEM MONEY.
The gun control movement has a HUGE problem with white supremacy, including from people who THINK they’re not being racist, and then proceed to support liberal politicians with tough on crime policies who give 12 gorillion dollars to the cops of big cities so they can purchase MRAPs, IFVs, fully automatic rifles and tons of other shit they don’t fucking need. And the SCOTUS ruling doesn’t matter, just get yourselves a SCOTUS that would rule cops have an obligation to help and investigate everything.
Please listen to us. Common sense cop control WILL solve all of this shit you mentioned without ever touching gun laws.
On a brighter note, apparently our casual friendliness with strangers is unusual elsewhere. So we’ve got that going for us, which is nice
French here: had to work with an American girl who was doing her internship in my company: absolutely. Same for an English teacher at my university during my studies: very nice. Americans people are very friendly and nice people.
In Canada, people do not run from the rain… if they are out and about and it starts raining, they just ignore it, they don’t walk faster, rarely improvise coverage, etc
In Venezuela, my country of origin, people run from the rain like it’s lava falling from the sky
Not much point in running from it, you’re already getting wet if you’re caught out in it 🤷♀️. I’ll run if I hear thunder though, don’t want to get electrocuted.
The Brits don’t either. So probably cultural heritage.
Huh, thought everyone ran from the rain. I usually have a hat if I’m outside so the rain doesn’t annoy me.
It really depends on what rain is like in your location in my limited experience. In the pacific northwest rain is usually a drizzle, it’s fine, you don’t run. In the american Midwest, you get a feel for the air pressure, listen for thunder, and look at the sky, then you make a comment about your prediction and keep going if you predict a drizzle but start running if it seems like a downpour.
France.
You’re at the grocery store and want to buy a single bottle of milk or coke, but they’re only sold in packs of 6? Just tear open a pack and take one bottle.
I think that’s a thing in many Central European countries
Belgium, same.
Austria - same.
I see that lots in Canada as well, but often the 6-pack is way cheaper per unit, to the point where sometimes a 6-pack is the same price as a single.
In Germany people seem to like opening windows when entering a room, even in the middle of the winter. Or maybe I only know weird Germans.
A few central/northern European countries also don’t believe in curtains.
German here. The Germans you describe seem fairly normal. Air quality > temperature
I understand, it’s just a weird behavior from a southern Europe point of view: when it’s cold outside we close the windows to keep it out.
Also weird from my UK point of view: it’s fucking freezing out them I’m not opening the windows. I do get that it’s nice to have fresh air and you can always put the window in the vent position, but even when it’s really cold you can feel it.
To be fair: Every single appartment/house stayed in in the UK was so poorly isolated that it felt fresh and cold already when entering a room with outside walls/windows. In Germany/Switzerland many modern houses are basically pretty much airtightly sealed and well isolated
Some people open the windows for they cool fresh air and turn on the heat or set the fire place.
I’ve read some time ago that in some region of the world it is normal to leave a baby outside in a crib (bundled up, of course) in freezing temperatures or around freezing temps. Seems to provide some health benefit. I imagine the temp is not too far below freezing.
Italy: always offering (and accepting) food or drinks while visiting. It’s impossible and/or incredibly rude to pass by a friend’s house without getting at least a coffee or a glass of water.
Netherlands: cold lunch. Traditionally, you’d have only one hot meal a day, and lunch would be sandwiches. I don’t mean to say that sandwiches don’t happen in other countries, but that hot lunches are basically unheard of in NL.
US: everyone has one or multiple cars. Walking to the grocery store means you are basically destitute. (That was quite the culture shock!)
The Italian food thing is pretty common in many cultures, I’ve seen it in a few countries myself and it’s big deal here in Lebanon. My own parents used to be livid about me bringing friends over and not offering anything to eat when I was younger. It’s a part of my culture I’m a bit resistant to doing, I don’t know, it’s pretty intuitive if it’s time to eat or not, and if someone’s dropping by between meals I am totally fine not setting the whole ass table. Maybe a beer or coffee (the good stuff, it’s a nice thing to share) nowadays.
The Dutch food thing has zero resemblance to my culture but it is in line with something I’ve read before about western (at least the description I read was western) food habits. Going completely off the top of my head here. As far as I remember, historically you had one heavy meal and everything else was a smaller meal. I think I was looking up “dinner” vs “supper”. The impression was that the word “dinner” was originally for the big meal of the day, and that “supper” was for a light meal at the very end of the day. “Breakfast” is more of literally breaking a fast than it is a whole meal and lunch referred to a small mid-workday meal.
So I think the idea of temperature might be connected to the size or heaviness of the meal in your Dutch thing.
Or maybe my nerves are completely cooked after work and this is more word salad than word coherent comment.
As a clarification, that last one is definitely NOT true about all places in the US, it very much depends on which area you live in. In NYC few people own a car even if they’re quite well off. No one here drives to get their regular groceries.
I lived in NJ. When i randomly said i didn’t have a car, some colleagues gave me pitying looks. I heard NY is its own little microcosm, but it seemed in general US is very car centric, so much so that there were areas I literally couldn’t reach by foot.
It’s hard to generalize any aspect of life in the US because of how damn big it is. People in metropolitan areas can get by just fine without a personal vehicle but it’s much harder in the suburbs and all but impossible in rural communities unless you’re very self-sufficient. I live near a city, sufficiently so that I can easily walk to a bus and connect with the regional transit system. If that was my only option I’d have to majorly restructure my life, but it could be done.
Yellow school buses, apparently.
That’s because US/CANADA cities are not designed with public transport in mind.
The rest of the world uses actual run of the mill normal buses, regardless if it is for school or not.Several of the large cities like New York or Chicago genuinely don’t use yellow school buses because the city DOES provide public transport.
Where you see schools having their own buses are the rest of the nation. Cousinfuck, West Virginia, population 182 has at least one school bus, because THAT town certainly doesn’t have a subway.
Well, you don’t wear shoes indoors in any of the Nordic countries.
We have pineapple and banana and kebab and salad on pizza¹. Apparently it is considered weird.
¹ not the same pizza, obviously. That would be weird.
People don’t wear shoes indoors in any civilised country. Only Americans do that.
Pineapple and kebab on pizza is available in Germany too, although I think it may be illegal in Italy.
Pretty common to keep your shoes inside in France. It’s more common in houses with a hard floor than in apartments with a wooden floor, but there’s absolutely no standard so you usually end up asking.
You’ve never been to a black woman’s home that owns carpet have you? Lol
nonono, I want to see that tropical kebab pizza
Taking your shoes off is expected in some parts of America, almost unheard of in other parts. Chicago? Shoes off. Florida? Why?
Most of Asia and Canada also… You take your shoes off because shit is outside on the ground, and I don’t want that tracked into the house!
Florida? Don’t care. Our floors are mostly tile, tracking in sand, sweep.
Bagged milk
Lots of countries have bagged milk
East Germany used to have them but they disappeared during the nineties and good riddance as well!
TIL
Also calling soda “pop”, although I think parts of the US do this too
the upper-midwestern u.s. lost their bagged milk when kwiktrip quit selling it that way a few years back.
Tipping as a social obligation when eating at dine in restaurants which in turn allows the waiter to be paid less by the employer and theoretically lowers menu prices.
The Asshole Subsidy. Extra money is taken from the people who are kind enough to worry about the waiter getting paid, effectively giving assholes who choose not to tip a discount.
Yeah, but many servers make serious bank. You won’t find those people bitching about tips. Worked IT at a payroll firm, frequently saw the numbers.
Servers who bust serious ass make serious bank. Worked as a server. Bad servers have bad numbers, skilled servers have good numbers
It’s absolutely acceptable to go to a university lecture at 8 am, and sit in the front row with a beer. The professors won’t mind. You can buy beer in the cafeteria as well as in a vending machine at the library.
Pulling out a bottle of hard liquor is frowned upon tho.
As a Canadian who graduated quite a while ago now. Jealous!
Don’t be, we all graduated as alcoholics
Yeah does seem a bit dangerous.
Germany ?
Yes. Bavaria specifically.
Heh, that’s real nice how beer is normalized there.
I mean, it’s fun and all for a while, until you realize that 8/10 people have developed a moderate to severe drinking problem by the age of 25.
ah, I thought it came with some guardrails
Crippling medical debt and outrageous student loans.
Our scientific branch of government telling people paracetamol (acetaminophen) can cause autism and leucovorin (a anti cancer treatment regimen) may cure autism. Also legelise ivermectin (worm pills) over the counter for COVID
Our government endorses them.
Wtf
Apparently Germany is one of the few (the only? Who knows) country to prefer carbonated water.
Is it normal to feel dehydrated after drinking carbonated water? That’s why I avoid it, personally, but I wonder if I’m just fucked up.
I definitely feel less hydrated. A lot of carbonated waters haver a higher sodium level, so that might be part of it. Or it’s just the bitter taste of carbon dioxide.
No, it isn’t. At least not for anyone I know.
Is it just carbonated water (preferably naturally carbonated mineral water) or is it some kind of soda, with added sugars and whatnot?
Because the first one shouldn’t make you feel dehydrated, no. Just burpy, and soothed if you had a stomach ache.
I’m not sure I’ve ever had naturally carbonated mineral water before, but yeah, the stuff I’m talking about has no sugar or anything, it’s just water. I’m not sure why it does that to me!
Ugh i hated that about Germany. When you ask for a water they bring you a seltzer. If you want water you have to specifically ask for “still water”. Like what?! That’s crazy nonsense. Water is one of the most basic elements of life as we know it, you can’t make the word for water mean anything other than what it’s always meant. I mean obviously you can, but it seems insanely dumb
Austrian here, and it’s the default at restaurants etc. as well. I hate it, it hurts my throat. Leitungswasser bitte, danke :)
When visiting France the carbonated water was ubiquitous. The company I work for have water fountains with the option of carbonated water in all of their French offices.
Ich fucking liebe Sprudel ich trinke den ganzen Tag nichts anderes Sprudel ist so gut ihr habt alle keine Ahnung HAHAHA
It’s literally called “Danish water” here in Denmark, though I don’t like it
“klassik oder ohne?”
“mit scharf bitte, danke”It is everywhere. I prefer water straight from the tap, which is usually better quality anyway (say the labs, not me).
Large-scale evacuations because of unexploded WW2 ordinance.
That’s every country in central Europe I think
