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Patrick01
Frequent Guest
Joined: 20 Dec 2004
Posts: 49
Location: Tennessee, USA
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 Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2005 6:56 am Post subject: |
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| Hmmm! I started this thread with "Nation Bashing" but now that it has moved to food and beyond, how about Black-eyed peas, cornbread, milk, and hog jowels for a traditional Tennessee New Years day meal? |
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Dan23
Frequent Guest
Joined: 13 Sep 2004
Posts: 53
Location: Davis, CA
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| Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2005 7:16 am Post subject: |
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Okay, sorry for the digression. Let me try to drag this thread back on topic...
What are people's thoughts on political apathy? I think it's a little difficult to talk about in a comparative sense because it's kind of hard to measure in the first place.
Here's why: For my political science class I have a program that compares statistics between different countries. The indicators for political interest are sometimes contradictory. For example: In the category "political interest," the US has a far higher percentage of people who say they are interested in politics than does Russia. However, in Russia people are slightly more likely to talk about politics with family and friends.  Also, in Russia voter turnout is higher.
Another interesting indicator is the number of newspapers per 100,000 people. The US has about 2,200, whereas Russia has about 2,800 (Norway is ranked number 1, at over 6,000).
So, what does all this say about people? Anything? Maybe it has more to do with history than people's character. I find it's a constant struggle to keep myself from passing judgements based on silly indicators like these.
Dan |
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Jutrzenkapolska
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Joined: 16 Sep 2004
Posts: 534
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| Posted: Wed Jan 05, 2005 1:30 am Post subject: |
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Yes, let's get back to the topic.
Personally, I love Russian culture, literature, films and vodka, very much like the Russian people, like the Russian language, strongly dislike their government and dislike what they do to their neighbors. 
All of the Eastern European countries are pro-U.S.A, part of the E.U or want to be, part of Western Civilization and have no desire to be held under the influence like this. |
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Filimon
Lounge Lizard
Joined: 20 Dec 2004
Posts: 97
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| Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2005 3:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Jutrzenkapolska wrote: | Yes, let's get back to the topic.
Personally, I love Russian culture, literature, films and vodka, very much like the Russian people, like the Russian language, strongly dislike their government and dislike what they do to their neighbors.
All of the Eastern European countries are pro-U.S.A, part of the E.U or want to be, part of Western Civilization and have no desire to be held under the influence like this. |
May I ask what is Russia still doing to Poland?
The problem I encountered in Eastern Europe was exactly that superimposition of the PAST Soviet government's influence on its neighbours on the PRESENT people of Russia. As soon as you mention that you are from Russia - you get blank stares, sometimes outright rudeness. It bothered me so much that on my last trip to Prague I had to pretend I was a Brit, which I would never do under the normal circumstances. |
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Jutrzenkapolska
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Joined: 16 Sep 2004
Posts: 534
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| Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2005 4:26 am Post subject: |
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| Well, what happened in the Ukraine last year? |
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blaked
Lounge Lizard
Joined: 29 Dec 2004
Posts: 180
Location: Moscow
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| Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2005 11:19 am Post subject: |
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[quote="vitalsigns"] | cyndy22 wrote: | | But then again, a lot of russians eat pig's lard (marinaded in salt and spices)... So go figure. We all have our wierd sides. |
Most people I know don't like salo and laugh at Ukrainians for loving it so much!
The US might have a small number of newspapers compared to the size of the population but they dominate web traffic - probably because it's cheaper there. |
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Filimon
Lounge Lizard
Joined: 20 Dec 2004
Posts: 97
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| Posted: Mon Feb 07, 2005 12:54 pm Post subject: |
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| Jutrzenkapolska wrote: | | Well, what happened in the Ukraine last year? |
What happened? Did you see crowds of Russians invading it? Before the election there people in Russia confused one candidate with another. They didn't know what's what. The only thing they knew was that one candidate was pro-Russia, the other pro-West. This formed their opinions, but it didn't mean they meddled in some way in the Ukrainian ways. The only thing that amazed many was the fact that the Ukrainians wanted to get away from Russia so much, despite the ties, despite the fact that millions of Ukrainians go to Russia every year to work, that many have families on either side of the border.
Otherwise what happened in the Ukraine was that instead of a convicted felon of a prime-minister, the Ukraine got itself a wanted one. |
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blaked
Lounge Lizard
Joined: 29 Dec 2004
Posts: 180
Location: Moscow
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| Posted: Tue Feb 08, 2005 4:16 am Post subject: |
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| Yushchenko was a bit of a let-down, to be honest. I thought he'd do something substantial, like attempt to eliminate internal passports and registration (Ukrainians, like Russians, must carry an internal passport for travel between cities, presumably because of all of the terrorists that hate Ukrainians so much.) Instead, he announced some BS about legislation to feed the poor. WTF? Everyone's poor. It's not like they have largesse to redistribute before they can make their economy competitive. How about creating a modern market for agricultural products? How about eliminating visa requirements for Europeans and Americans? Hells, how about legalizing prostitution? |
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Skip
Talk Show Host
Joined: 19 Jan 2005
Posts: 283
Location: Planet Warez
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| Posted: Thu Feb 17, 2005 9:53 pm Post subject: |
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| blaked wrote: | | Yushchenko was a bit of a let-down, to be honest. I thought he'd do something substantial, like attempt to eliminate internal passports and registration (Ukrainians, like Russians, must carry an internal passport for travel between cities, presumably because of all of the terrorists that hate Ukrainians so much.) Instead, he announced some BS about legislation to feed the poor. WTF? Everyone's poor. It's not like they have largesse to redistribute before they can make their economy competitive. How about creating a modern market for agricultural products? How about eliminating visa requirements for Europeans and Americans? Hells, how about legalizing prostitution? |
Both Russia and the Ukraine probably majorly fund the existance of various overseas consulates on visa cash income... 
Coincidentally, last time I looked, you could fly to Odessa from Europe (this is for EU nationals) and purchase your tourist visa in the airport at Odessa... but I've not actually been there... 
If the Ukraine lists too far towards the EU or even thinks about knocking on the door of NATO then there will be border controls with Russia... but imposed at Moscows whim... and all entries and exits will be more strictly controlled and gross inconvenience will result, you can be 100% sure of that...  |
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MrSpice
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 14 Jul 2003
Posts: 3431
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| Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2005 6:53 pm Post subject: |
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[quote="Dan23"]The indicators for political interest are sometimes contradictory. For example: In the category "political interest," the US has a far higher percentage of people who say they are interested in politics than does Russia. However, in Russia people are slightly more likely to talk about politics with family and friends. Also, in Russia voter turnout is higher.
Another interesting indicator is the number of newspapers per 100,000 people. The US has about 2,200, whereas Russia has about 2,800 (Norway is ranked number 1, at over 6,000).
Dan[/quote]
It's relatively easy to explain this paradox when it comes to Russia.
1) The reason people are less interested in politics is because politics did not exists as a way to choose leaders just 10-15 years ago. Secondly, people still don't have the full trust in the institution of democracy, especially the way it's been implemented in Russia.
2) People still turn out better than the Americans during elections because I think there is still some excitement and hope that elections will bring about change. In America, many don't feel the elections matter that much anymore. Hence all those 3rd party candidates, expensive election campaigns trying to draw people to the polls. That's is why both parties here use explosive social and economic issues hoping to excite the voters.
3) I think less developed countries tend to have more of many things (like newspapers) while established countries had waves of consolidation where newspapers, newsagencies and TV networks merged, while many others went out of business. Someone may have a newspapers in Russian and turns a profit of $100 a year and that may still be fine with the publisher.
Secondly, the United states is a much more rural countries - I know it may sound ridiculous. Most people in America live in suburbs or areas of cities that look and feel like suburbs. And people drive to work mostly. That makes nespapers much less appealing to Americans. You can't read a nespaper while you are driving. Inj Europe (including Noraway), most people commute to work by public transportation where reading a newspapers is a good way to pass time. Look at New York City where most people commute - we have more newspapers that just about any city in the US by far: NY Sun, NY Times, Daily News, Wall St. Journal, 2 free nespapers like AM NY and Metro, Newsday, and many other smaller newspapers. |
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Roller
Just Starting
Joined: 01 Jun 2005
Posts: 8
Location: South Australia
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| Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 5:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Secondly, the United states is a much more rural countries - I know it may sound ridiculous. Most people in America live in suburbs or areas of cities that look and feel like suburbs. |
I've heard a few Americans regard suburbs as rural... is that defined as rural in America? A random question I know, but it just seems strange to me...
Here in Australia there's been a lot of troubling nation-bashing recently. A court case regarding a young Australian girl accused of importing drugs into Bali has been blown out of the water by our media. Everyone thinks she's innocent, and because of the media beat-up a lot of people are angry at Indonesia and it's justice system (she got sentenced to 20 year's jail on some pretty shaky evidence).
After her sentencing a lot of people have started a "boycott Bali" campaign in order to try and force the Indonesian Justice system to free this girl. They're saying that Australians should no longer travel to Bali (a popular tourist destination for us) because of what they did. I hate it, I really do. The way people's anger at some things (eg. a court case) are then transfered to the people of the country in general is shocking. Some people were even threatening to withdraw money that they sent to charities in support of the tsunami!!! How rude and narrow-minded! I feel embarrased, because usually Australia is a much more accepting country.
I would like to think that as an Aussie I would be accepted more or less everywhere I travel (we're too far away and too powerless to piss anyone off), but when things like this happen I can see how if I went to Indonesia, I may be resented over a trivial matter like that.
It dissapoints me because many friends that I've talked to about travelling overseas say that being Australian makes you accepted pretty much anywhere, and I would like to try and keep it that way.
Well that's my two cents. |
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vorteks
VIP
Joined: 08 Aug 2004
Posts: 571
Location: European Union
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| Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 6:07 pm Post subject: |
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No worries, matey, aussies are still regarded as the coolest and most laid back bush campers around 
I appreciated the way your prime minister resisted the temptation of populism by acknowledging the indonesian justice sovereignty. I don t understand how a citizen with one sided media interpretations of events can conclude of the innocence of guilt of anybody. I guess there must be some kind of neo colonial reflex in presuming that the justice of a developing country had to be biased.
There are and will be certainly diplomatical contacts between both countries to shorten the condemnation, but regarding justice, there isn t much else you can do but using diplomatic intermediation. Even between close bound countries like France and Germany, cooperation can be problematic. A german doctor was recently convicted in France for sexual abuse. He fled to Germany where he was trialed there for similar acts on other victims and was discharged. For this reason, the german government refuses to expatriate the man. |
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vettra
Lounge Lizard
Joined: 24 Dec 2004
Posts: 123
Location: Cleveland
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| Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 6:35 am Post subject: |
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a) Eating raw fat is gross and disgusting. It must be banned
b) Pumpkin pie is good. Not too sweet (vs. sweet potatoe pie, yuk)
[Jutrzenkapolska] c) "All of the Eastern European countries are pro-U.S.A, part of E.U or.." yada yada the poor want to hang out with the rich - so?
[Filimon] >> May I ask what is Russia still doing to Poland?
Not a MF'g think, all Polish hate Russians, the border is closed, the war is over. There is a huge Polish-imposed invisible wall, as if Russia wasn't there. The Cold War is Alive and Hot in Poland. Of course the wall doesn't exist on the German border - see item (c) above
[Filimon] >> The only thing they knew was that one candidate was pro-Russia, the other pro-West. GET REAL. That had nothing to do with Russia. Yankovich is a rapist and a murderer. That is a hard sell even in Zimbabwe. Even the extremely apathetic Ukrainians didn't go for that.
[blaked] >> How about eliminating visa requirements for Europeans and Americans?
Blake is Out Of Touch. Americans now do not require visas to enter Ukraine. Yuschenko has imposed 1-bribe-your-fired Draconian laws on the Ukrainian police. He is in a power struggle with the existing "mafioso". This is the shining beacon in the USSR countries (although apparently Georgia is going thru some serious reform now).
>> a lot of people are angry at Indonesia and it's justice system .. a lot of people have started a "boycott Bali"
Cool. Drop baggies of heroin over the capitol. A good argument to let the CIA infiltrate these little shit countries. |
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vitalsigns
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 25 Dec 2004
Posts: 2784
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| Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 3:31 pm Post subject: |
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Retiring...
Last edited by vitalsigns on Wed Nov 09, 2005 5:26 am; edited 1 time in total |
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init6
WayToRussified
Joined: 01 Jun 2005
Posts: 363
Location: Москва, Россия
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| Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Roller wrote: | | I've heard a few Americans regard suburbs as rural... is that defined as rural in America? A random question I know, but it just seems strange to me... |
No, the suburbs are just that - suburban (sub-urban). Farmland, pasture, etc. is rural. I live in suburban America surrounded by other cities north and south (it's one big stretch of crap from north of Daytona all the way South to Vero Beach), pasture to the West and the Atlantic Ocean to the East. "Suburbia" is the great crime of American "planners" of this bloody century. What a joke.
Vitalsigns, what the hell are you talking about with grits? There are NO animal parts in grits. It's ground up grain meal (I forget which grain)! Do you mean hot dogs? 
And I'll try salo once (because I'll try anything once), but I don't hold out hope for liking it. If it does indeed taste like bacon, and not slimy fatty disgust-o-thon, I probably will. But pumpkin pie is just plain nasty (sweet potato as well). It's not sweet, it's not salty, it's just weird, and not a good weird. Whip cream whatever, I'm not putting that crap in my face, period. Blech! |
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