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Re: Random questions about anything or nothing #3 « Reply #106 on Dec 29, 2008, 7:25am »
I'm not American, but where I come from it's the opposite: Never talk about politics with family! Otherwise it's a pretty common thing to discuss casually during lunch.
Nope. I’m from South America. It’s very common see man from a family (Father-son, Brothers) kissing in the cheek for greetings.
Ps: I had not posted too much but already two of my posts are turning in big debate (without be my intention)… I have to choice my words better
It's also a bit of a gymnastics phenomenon too. Maybe because most of the traditional powers were Europeans and so it would have started with them, but it's traditional at the Olympics for the silver and bronze medalists to give the gold medalist a kiss on both cheeks, regardless of nationality.
Speaking of cultural phenomenon, I thought I'd ask here because we're a neutral place. Where I'm from, there's sort of an unspoken rule that you don't discuss politics unless you're only with very close friends and family. And even that is sort of leery - when I was ten I started learning about the political parties in Canada and asked my parents how they voted. My mother told me, but asked that I not talk about it to anyone and my stepfather wouldn't talk about it, saying that how you vote is a very private thing.
Then I noticed that on several other boards, there was OT discussion about the most recent US election. And I heard a comment while watching Miracle on 34th Street where one character knew another was a Republican and they were only distant coworkers. So I'm curious to know, in the US is it more common to discuss your political views or is it more of an internet phenomenon then anything?
I'd also be very interested to know what the custom is with some of our non-Canadian and American members. Not how you vote, but what the general custom is - are you open about it or is it something that isn't considered proper conversation in public?
Oh boy… I’ll try to choose my words very careful. In my country the people not talk too much about politics in the work. We had a dictatorship so if you were talking about politics, you could end in the jail or worse. Now we have a democracy but people not talk about politics either, for several reasons a) people still have fear b) people don't want to open old wound c) people don’t know about politics (when you live in dictatorship, they don’t teach about politics), etc. In Family depends on each family, some talk about politics, some don’t I hope my English was understandable
Re: Random questions about anything or nothing #3 « Reply #109 on Mar 4, 2009, 6:57am »
Another question! What do you think of my icon? I have received a range of comments from people on lj (usually, "OMG WTF my eyes are bleeding!" and "What... did you do... to Gibbs? "). It has served its purpose well. So what do you think, should I get my old icon back or should this one continue to horrify you with this one every time I post?
Edited to add: Does anyone have any opinions or experience about pharmaceutical trials? They advertise for test subjects in my school, so I signed up for offers about different trials on a website. I've heard that it isn't as dangerous as it sounds, and they pay pretty well too.
Re: Random questions about anything or nothing #3 « Reply #110 on Mar 4, 2009, 11:16am »
All I can tell is that they did this test in a town near where I live and one guy died and the other is horribly handicapped for the rest of his life (destroyed organs, transplants, dialysis—you name it) and it was a big scandal so I wouldn't do it.
Re: Random questions about anything or nothing #3 « Reply #111 on Mar 4, 2009, 11:51am »
Interesting... I've heard some horror stories about it, but I mostly figured that it was because the media knew that the average person would frown upon human test subjects, even though the medicine was mostly harmless. Fear sells, and all that. There are obviously different levels of risks involved, too... I saw one ad for a study about facial pain, in which they induced some pain in the test subject, and it sounded very uncomfortable. But there were also an ad for a study about human eating behavior, in which they would technically just watch you eat. That didn't sound very dangerous
I read an interview with a person who had undergone some pharmaceutical tests. I think the article was a little bit biased, since it was published in the school newspaper, and the school basically funds the research, but from what I understood, young women aren't allowed in the more dangerous tests. If there's even the slightest risk that the medicine could harm a future fetus or complicate a pregnancy, it's always tested on men first. I guess it could be different depending on where you live though.
Another question! What do you think of my icon? I have received a range of comments from people on lj (usually, "OMG WTF my eyes are bleeding!" and "What... did you do... to Gibbs? "). It has served its purpose well. So what do you think, should I get my old icon back or should this one continue to horrify you with this one every time I post?
I really have to say I'm not a fan of that avatar, reminds me of Nathan Lane from the Birdcage. Really not the kind of association I'd like to have with Gibb's.
Edited to add: Does anyone have any opinions or experience about pharmaceutical trials? They advertise for test subjects in my school, so I signed up for offers about different trials on a website. I've heard that it isn't as dangerous as it sounds, and they pay pretty well too.
I wouldn't go for it unless I was very desperate for cash or the treatment thats being offered. Like for instance if I had terminal cancer and there were trials for a cancer treatment I'd be inclined to risk it but other wise I wouldn't go for it.
I really have to say I'm not a fan of that avatar, reminds me of Nathan Lane from the Birdcage. Really not the kind of association I'd like to have with Gibb's.
Had to google to understand the reference. I guess he plays a drag queen or something?
I wouldn't go for it unless I was very desperate for cash or the treatment thats being offered. Like for instance if I had terminal cancer and there were trials for a cancer treatment I'd be inclined to risk it but other wise I wouldn't go for it.
Thanks for the input! Yeah, that's probably the most common opinion. I guess there's somewhat of a difference in opinion depending on where you live, work and study though. A lot of my classmates seem more open to the idea, I think it's because they are interested in science and in the research behind the tests. I am too in a way. I'm not worried that the tests would hurt me (they obviously might, but I doubt it's probable), but I can't really support the ethics behind it. There's obviously a reason why they put up ads in a school; they know most of the students are poor and are more likely to apply than anyone else.
Re: Random questions about anything or nothing #3 « Reply #114 on Apr 13, 2009, 4:48am »
A language question:
I've noticed that both Americans and Brits greet people by saying "Hello, how are you?" or "Hi, what's up?", but they don't always expect an answer. I suspect it's a cultural difference; In Britain it seems to be more of a courtesy than a question, but in the US it's actually expected that the one asked should answer. Can anyone from the UK or the US confirm, deny or throw tomatoes in the general direction at this statement?
Re: Random questions about anything or nothing #3 « Reply #115 on Apr 13, 2009, 5:02am »
Well, it's more of a greeting than an actual question in the US, like a "Hello". Unless you really know the person well, the answer will always be "Fine, and you?" or something along those lines. You won't tell them how you really are and you don't expect an in depth answer from them either.
If a friend or family member asks you, then you will tell them how you are, good or bad. For a casual acquaintance or somebody you just meet in the street, I'd say "Fine, how are you?" even if I was feeling awful. They don't really wanna know. You'll know from the context of the situation which one it is.
Re: Random questions about anything or nothing #3 « Reply #117 on Apr 13, 2009, 12:46pm »
Yeah, that does help a little, thanks!
Things like that always confuses me when I'm traveling. I speak and understand English pretty well, but metaphors, platitudes and just general social politeness are difficult to translate. Where I come from, people usually don't say "how are you?" to someone they don't know, but in LA they pretty much asked me anytime I went into a store. I've been taught to return the courtesy to the person who ask too, so if the person in the register would say: "Hi, how are you miss?" I reply "Um. Awesome. And how are you, mister?", and then we'd be stuck in an awkward conversation about our feelings before I could buy my lollipop or whatever it was that I wanted to buy. But aside from that, people generally act the same here too. No one expects (or wants) a full psychological analysis, it's just something you ask to be nice.
Joined: Sept 2008 Gender: Female Posts: 710 Location: In my personal bubble
Re: Random questions about anything or nothing #3 « Reply #118 on Apr 17, 2009, 8:09pm »
Usually, I have not problem with abbreviations, because sometimes people explain what the abbreviation mean or I figured out what it mean or I search for the meaning, but there are two abbreviations that no one say what they mean, I can’t figured out and I can’t find it.
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