Australian Politics Forum

Neferti Gold Member Offline Posts: 7965 Canberra Gender:	America Dec 28^th, 2014 at 8:27am 16 people on things they couldn't believe about America until they moved there. Some interesting things on what it is like to live in the USA, some might surprise you. http://thoughtcatalog.com/michael-koh/2013/11/16-people-on-things-they-couldnt-b...
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miketrees Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 6490 Gender:	Re: America Reply #1 - Dec 28^th, 2014 at 8:40am Thanks for that, I read it quite quirky
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Ex Dame Pansi Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 24168	Re: America Reply #2 - Dec 28^th, 2014 at 9:03am Not much different to Australia except for the Thanksgiving and the guns.
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stryder Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 4545 Gender:	Re: America Reply #3 - Dec 28^th, 2014 at 10:01am Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Dec 28^th, 2014 at 9:03am: Not much different to Australia except for the Thanksgiving and the guns. And those two nations that your 100% bias against.
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Ex Dame Pansi

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Re: America
Reply #4 - Dec 28^th, 2014 at 10:44am

stryder wrote on Dec 28^th, 2014 at 10:01am:

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Dec 28^th, 2014 at 9:03am:

Not much different to Australia except for the Thanksgiving and the guns.

And those two nations that your 100% bias against.

America (the Administration, not the people) has been on the nose for decades, and as a fifth generation Australian I would not be doing my duty if I didn't call on the elected governments of my country when they stray from the path of justice, honesty and a fair go for all.

It's called keeping the bastards honest and I'll do it until my dying day, it's the least I can do for my descendants.

If you cared about your country you would do the same when it goes off the rails.

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"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." Hendrix
andrei said: Great isn't it? Seeing boatloads of what is nothing more than human garbage turn up.....

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Baronvonrort Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 18709 Gender:	Re: America Reply #5 - Dec 28^th, 2014 at 11:09am Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Dec 28^th, 2014 at 9:03am: Not much different to Australia except for the Thanksgiving and the guns. I lived there for 2 years and never saw a gun outside a firing range or outside of someones home, with the exception of law enforcement. Those who have never been to the USA tend to bag it out of ignorance.
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stryder

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Re: America
Reply #6 - Dec 28^th, 2014 at 11:47am

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Dec 28^th, 2014 at 10:44am:

stryder wrote on Dec 28^th, 2014 at 10:01am:

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Dec 28^th, 2014 at 9:03am:

Not much different to Australia except for the Thanksgiving and the guns.

And those two nations that your 100% bias against.

America (the Administration, not the people) has been on the nose for decades, and as a fifth generation Australian I would not be doing my duty if I didn't call on the elected governments of my country when they stray from the path of justice, honesty and a fair go for all.

It's called keeping the bastards honest and I'll do it until my dying day, it's the least I can do for my descendants.

If you cared about your country you would do the same when it goes off the rails.

I dont see it as going off the rails as you do, do I have issues with AMERICA ??, god damn I do, but you wanna compare AMERICASs functioning political system in representation to it citizens to nations like NORTH KOREA, IRAN, or ISSISS, in the very notions of JUSTICE, HONEST AND A FAIR GO, I would lean on america more so than those other three in the attempt to do so.

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« Last Edit: Dec 28^th, 2014 at 12:12pm by stryder »

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greggerypeccary Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 139060 Gender:	Re: America Reply #7 - Dec 28^th, 2014 at 12:18pm Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Dec 28^th, 2014 at 9:03am: Not much different to Australia except for the Thanksgiving and the guns. Yep, they're a bunch of gun nuts. "That you cannot purchase alcohol unless you are 21 but can purchase a gun if you are 18."
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Neferti

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Re: America
Reply #8 - Dec 28^th, 2014 at 3:40pm

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Dec 28^th, 2014 at 9:03am:

Not much different to Australia except for the Thanksgiving and the guns.

Actually, you are wrong, Pansi. Lots of things were commented on that do not apply in Australia. These are quotes from what the 16 people said:-

Quote:

Fruits and vegetables are way more expensive than meat and poultry.

Quote:

That you cannot purchase alcohol unless you are 21 but can purchase a gun if you are 18.

Quote:

Tipping – Enough has been said about this, but I hated it too, so I’ll include it. Specially for services like a haircut. So I pay you for cutting my hair…..and then I tip you because you were gracious enough to cut my hair?!

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The above point reminds me, that Americans find it very odd if people use different words than them, like British English for eg. people looked at me funny when I asked where the “Chemist” is (Drug Store). Biscuit (Cookie), Billing Counter (Cashier), Coriander (Cilantro), Petrol (Gas) are others.

I have heard this one before .... chocolate lovers will understand. Plus the Yanks put cheese on just about everything!

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Quality of chocolate – It’s just not as good. Sorry folks, but a Hershey bar is the most overrated thing I ever tried. And the Kit Kat was horrible. The chocolate was oily. Yes, oily. I have no idea why. (This reminds of my trip to Walmart. I knew it was big. I just didn’t imagine it would be this big! The astounding variety of pretty much everything is just overwhelming)

Have you tried to get Planning permission to erect a flag pole on your block?

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Patriotism – The flag was everywhere. Literally. I came to know students are supposed to pledge allegiance to their flag since Kindergarten.! (I can’t fathom how they pronounce allegiance). On the other hand, they are blissfully unaware of the rest of the world (A high school kid thought Taj Mahal is in Washington DC). But I loved how all students were involved in some sort of extra curricular activities or the other.

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Religion – I always thought that America must be very laid-back about religion, like Europe, but that was not true. And one of the weirdest things I encountered was a Jewish person (in the black suit) preaching to us on the subway to believe in God, and Apocalypse or something, and giving us “Trillion dollar” notes with this stuff written on it.

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You really need health insurance – The cost of healthcare in this country is insane. It seems that all aspect of healthcare is designed with ‘patient must be insured’ assumption – read: charge as much as possible. Any uninsured small procedure will leave a lasting impression in your financial health for many years to come.

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Online money transfer between bank is done via cheque – In USA (at least in PA), whenever I want to transfer money to someone, the bank will issue a cheque and post it to the address of the cheque recipient. The recipient will then cash in the cheque. This procedure will take few days normally and applies even to customers who transfer money to another customers within the same bank.

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Food portion sizes which are ridiculous to my view. When we eat out with my husband or friends, we usually share. Not because we can’t afford, but just because we do not need THAT much food. On the other hand I like the can-I-please-have-it-to-go thing for everything that left on the table, which is not so common in Europe, and especially in Eastern Europe, where I am from.

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Drive-thru ATMs and stores. It left me speechless. And then to think that most purchases in the U.S. are on credit Wink

. You can even do drive-thru shopping, drive-thru oil-change, drive-thru massage(?). Everything is drive-thru!

Giggled at this one:

Quote:

Extreme sensitiveness towards race and religion. People tend to be very sensitive about racial and religious topics. I was embarrassed to ask a Costco employee where the white chocolate was because I was afraid she would tell me I was a racist.

Oh, and there is NOT a gun in EVERY household. Wink

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Sprintcyclist

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Re: America
Reply #9 - Dec 28^th, 2014 at 9:32pm

stryder wrote on Dec 28^th, 2014 at 11:47am:

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Dec 28^th, 2014 at 10:44am:

stryder wrote on Dec 28^th, 2014 at 10:01am:

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Dec 28^th, 2014 at 9:03am:

Not much different to Australia except for the Thanksgiving and the guns.

And those two nations that your 100% bias against.

America (the Administration, not the people) has been on the nose for decades, and as a fifth generation Australian I would not be doing my duty if I didn't call on the elected governments of my country when they stray from the path of justice, honesty and a fair go for all.

It's called keeping the bastards honest and I'll do it until my dying day, it's the least I can do for my descendants.

If you cared about your country you would do the same when it goes off the rails.

I dont see it as going off the rails as you do, do I have issues with AMERICA ??, god damn I do, but you wanna compare AMERICASs functioning political system in representation to it citizens to nations like NORTH KOREA, IRAN, or ISSISS, in the very notions of JUSTICE, HONEST AND A FAIR GO, I would lean on america more so than those other three in the attempt to do so.

yes, the US may not be ideal.
But it is one of the better countries of the world to live in.

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AiA Gold Member Offline Posts: 18405 Gender:	Re: America Reply #10 - Dec 29^th, 2014 at 3:38am I have been here for years and years now ... the things that frustrate me are the police who are by and large uneducated bullies and the mess the Americans call health insurance and those that actually defend such an expensive and inefficient system.
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cods

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Re: America
Reply #11 - Dec 29^th, 2014 at 7:35am

AiA wrote on Dec 29^th, 2014 at 3:38am:

I have been here for years and years now ... the things that frustrate me are the police who are by and large uneducated bullies and the mess the Americans call health insurance and those that actually defend such an expensive and inefficient system.

that sounds about right from what we read......however you didnt mention the gun laws and absolute devotion to guns they all seem to have...one bloke I read bragged about having 50 guns.....he didnt mention only two arms.. Roll Eyes

.. if I had to live with a gun in every corner I couldnt stand it..total fear or paranoia .. either way awful...

Neferti wrote on Dec 28^th, 2014 at 3:40pm:

Dame Pansi wrote Yesterday at 9:03am:
Not much different to Australia except for the Thanksgiving and the guns.

Actually, you are wrong, Pansi. Lots of things were commented on that do not apply in Australia. These are quotes from what the 16 people said:

sadly pansi can see nothing right about Australia... she is convinced we are worse than the worse on every level...sad really. Sad

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AiA

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Re: America
Reply #12 - Dec 29^th, 2014 at 8:00am

cods wrote on Dec 29^th, 2014 at 7:35am:

AiA wrote on Dec 29^th, 2014 at 3:38am:

I have been here for years and years now ... the things that frustrate me are the police who are by and large uneducated bullies and the mess the Americans call health insurance and those that actually defend such an expensive and inefficient system.

that sounds about right from what we read......however you didnt mention the gun laws and absolute devotion to guns they all seem to have...one bloke I read bragged about having 50 guns.....he didnt mention only two arms.. Roll Eyes

.. if I had to live with a gun in every corner I couldnt stand it..total fear or paranoia .. either way awful...

Neferti wrote on Dec 28^th, 2014 at 3:40pm:

Dame Pansi wrote Yesterday at 9:03am:
Not much different to Australia except for the Thanksgiving and the guns.

Actually, you are wrong, Pansi. Lots of things were commented on that do not apply in Australia. These are quotes from what the 16 people said:

sadly pansi can see nothing right about Australia... she is convinced we are worse than the worse on every level...sad really. Sad

Guns ... I have lived in both extremes - Japan, where there are few guns and America where they are everywhere.

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“Jerry, just remember: It’s not a lie … if you believe it.” George Costanza

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Ex Dame Pansi

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Re: America
Reply #13 - Dec 29^th, 2014 at 8:04am

cods wrote on Dec 29^th, 2014 at 7:35am:

sadly pansi can see nothing right about Australia... she is convinced we are worse than the worse on every level...sad really.

Not true at all, just because I call the pollies to task about their policies in no way reflects my opinion on Australia as a nation. At the moment, Medicare is great, uni for everyone is great, unemployment benefits are appalling and needs to be increased by $100 a week.....good and bad, no?

We have both good and bad points, like most countries, but I will continue to rally against any government that wishes to destroy our freedoms and democracy.

We are not the worst of the worst although we could do better on health, education, employment, infrastructure, affordable housing and social services. There's always room for improvement.

I would never compare Australia to NORTH KOREA, IRAN, or ISSISS........that's insane. Where do people get off on those comparisons?

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"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace." Hendrix
andrei said: Great isn't it? Seeing boatloads of what is nothing more than human garbage turn up.....

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cods

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Re: America
Reply #14 - Dec 29^th, 2014 at 8:11am

Ex Dame Pansi wrote on Dec 29^th, 2014 at 8:04am:

cods wrote on Dec 29^th, 2014 at 7:35am:

sadly pansi can see nothing right about Australia... she is convinced we are worse than the worse on every level...sad really.

Not true at all, just because I call the pollies to task about their policies in no way reflects my opinion on Australia as a nation. At the moment, Medicare is great, uni for everyone is great, unemployment benefits are appalling and needs to be increased by $100 a week.....good and bad, no?

We have both good and bad points, like most countries, but I will continue to rally against any government that wishes to destroy our freedoms and democracy.

We are not the worst of the worst although we could do better on health, education, employment, infrastructure, affordable housing and social services. There's always room for improvement.

I would never compare Australia to NORTH KOREA, IRAN, or ISSISS........that's insane. Where do people get off on those comparisons?

sorry pansi but thats how you come across...very resentful of anything here... and you lord Putin...as if he is doing everything right....sorry but thats how I see most of your posts...very anti Western..

you go into bat for Bikies who have a worst record than Kim Jong un... you claim Putin is innocent and America is guilty over the mh 17.. you believe Pravda..

of course America is always guilty Roll Eyes

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