2010-11-23, 20:45 | Link #4462 | |
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Australia
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Asked this in the culture thread but no answer comes up, so being a bit impatient and running to here instead:
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2010-11-23, 21:23 | Link #4463 |
AS Oji-kun
Join Date: Nov 2006
Age: 74
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As someone who grew up just a few miles away from Plymouth Rock, I'll be happy to provide a brief overview of Thanksgiving to our friends outside the United States. Thanksgiving commemorates a harvest feast shared by the "Pilgrims" and native Americans living along the shores of Massachusetts near Cape Cod. The Pilgrims were a group of religious nonconformists who fled England around the turn of the seventeenth century. After a brief stay in the Netherlands, they commissioned ships to sail across the Atlantic so they might establish a colony in the "New World." The Pilgrims landed in December of 1620, and most of the settlers who hadn't died in the voyage passed away in the initial, brutally cold winter of 1620-21. Only 53 of the initial 102 emigrants, and just four of the initial eighteen females, survived to take part in the feast. Few of these would have survived without the support of the native Americans who lived in close proximity to the colonists.
The story of the Pilgrims has one remarkable coincidence, the presence of the native American Squanto who was enslaved by John Smith (of the Pocahontas tale) and later lived in England. Considering the enormous size of the United States, the fact that the Pilgrims encountered a native who spoke English and could translate between the two groups has to be an historical coincidence of major proportions. Legend has it that the Pilgrims first stepped foot onto Plymouth Rock when arriving in America. In fact this story is based entirely on the report of one Elder John Faunce who, at 94, was carried to the water's edge so he might point out the place where his father had told him the first step took place. Since the Pilgrims had already spent some time in Provincetown at the tip of Cape Cod before sailing into Plymouth harbor, the story is false on its face. There are also no contemporary accounts in the existing journals of the colonists to support the story. The current Rock is but a mere shadow of the original, having been split in two at one point and chipped away by souvenir hunters before it was placed in a protected location around 1880. It now resides at the bottom of a Roman-styled portico in Plymouth Harbor which was constructed in 1920 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the Pilgrims' arrival. It's symbolic value is perhaps best summed up by a local historian and member of the Pilgrim Society, Rose T. Briggs, who wrote in 1968, ""It is the fact that they landed - and remained - that matters, not where they landed. Yet it is no bad thing for a nation to be founded on a rock." I researched the Rock for a high-school history project, which is why I know its story so well.
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2010-11-23, 22:55 | Link #4464 |
For me the bell tolls
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since thanksgiving is being discussed, maybe someone could tell me if this is true..I heard that native Americans view thanksgiving as a day for mourning, since it was basically the beginning of the end for them. I wouldn't be surprised if it were so, but is it true?
ok, the question I really came into this thread to ask, was what is the current state of Yugioh? I stopped watching/playing long ago...but I hear that Yugioh is still strong in the form of yugioh 5D. so, how is this show? Is there any shred of the original plot or characters, or is the name "yugioh" not at all relevant anymore to the show? how about the card game? Is it still semi popular? Are the cards decent? thanks
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2010-11-24, 00:19 | Link #4465 | ||
Moving in circles
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Singapore
Age: 49
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The big rock in question: Yes, it's really, really BIG: Quote:
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2010-11-24, 02:22 | Link #4467 | |
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Australia
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But i don't think Gekka is anywhere close to an oiran, or have such flirty nature (unless it's towards sushi, she loves sushi). So it must be one of the older dialect, i guess =]
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2010-11-24, 07:44 | Link #4468 | ||
AS Oji-kun
Join Date: Nov 2006
Age: 74
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2010-11-24, 09:16 | Link #4469 |
Komrades of Kitamura Kou
Join Date: Jul 2004
Age: 39
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I asked around and learned that the registration and testing fees for the USMLE for 2011 and 2012 would likely be approx. $3000 for foreigners, not counting the amount habing to spend going Stateside to take parts of it. $3000 is the gross salary of a first year medical resident for one whole year without taxes. In other countries, this is very high amount for someone who really just wants to train and earn while doing it before coming back home to practice.
So yes, ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? (Yes that was a legitimate question) I've dropped Singapore from my list because they don't offer training unless you become a citizen, and even then you still have a conditional practicing status. My research into taking Canada's MCC exam is looking well, but I haven't come across enough details for foreigners looking to apply at an embassy, where to get the study manuals and guides (there are however a ton for the USMLE in every bookstore) and how much the registration costs. Can anyone give suggestions?
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2010-11-24, 09:48 | Link #4470 | ||
NYAAAAHAAANNNNN~
Join Date: Nov 2007
Age: 35
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As for going about finding out about it, I would suggest that you ask a few Aussies here with regards to their locale and get them to email the authorities for you, like Haruka_Kitten and fallschirmjager. WRT Singapore, I am sure that it is PR and not citizen. I'll drop an email tomorrow morning before I go to school, should be able to get a reply by Friday. PM TRL or hope that he will see your question. I am sure in his field of journalism he should be able to get or regurgitate specific information more easily than me.
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2010-11-24, 11:09 | Link #4471 | |
books-eater youkai
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Betweem wisdom and insanity
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2010-11-24, 12:43 | Link #4472 |
廉頗
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Massachusetts
Age: 34
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It's native to North America. Even today, where I live (a town established in the 1600's, not too far from where the pilgrims first landed) you see wild turkeys crossing the road sometimes. They were probably even more abundant back then, and easy to catch. They're also quite large for a bird and would provide a good meal.
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2010-11-24, 18:44 | Link #4473 | |
NYAAAAHAAANNNNN~
Join Date: Nov 2007
Age: 35
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Why did the turkey cross the road?
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2010-11-24, 22:09 | Link #4474 |
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Australia
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Question about Japan politics (i avoid the word "political culture" because mod may shift my post into culture thread D: )
I mean probably (actually definitely) some of us would consider that politics are quite dirty business with politicians are lying bastards that can't wait to vote on which sheep gonna be for dinner. But what's about Japan's general public opinion on politics? They had a party that ruling over century (probably not that long) before the recent political development.... and stereotypically speaking , probably have that "maintaining-harmony society" status like most East Asia country. And beat me if i'm wrong, but there seems little news about Japanese mass demonstration about social or political issues (opposing to Europe and US or even Korea) since GFC 2008. So in Japan, are there much opposing forces to the government in general? (other than the shadow government/ oppose party)
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2010-11-25, 01:57 | Link #4475 |
Kaiba
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: David Tennant's bedroom in the TARDIS
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NaNoWriMo in 5 days? is it totally insane?
so I started writing a story, a 8.5 by 11 sheet of notebook paper worth...and then my English teacher told me to look at National Novel Writing Month.
I forgot. Now it's five days til the deadline...is it totally insane to try and do it??
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2010-11-25, 02:09 | Link #4476 |
Shougi Génération
Graphic Designer
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Entirely depends on how much time you've got on your hands. You won't know unless you try and every minute you go by not typing up your story is a minute wasted.
I've subscribed to the competition but I've only got three chapters done. National Novel Writing Month is supposed to be freestyle, with very little planning going on. It's supposed to spur creativity above all else. If you think you won't run dry on creativity during those five days and you devote all your time to it... Why not? |
2010-11-25, 08:17 | Link #4478 |
思想工作
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Vereinigte Staaten
Age: 31
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It depends on whether or not you have some good ideas at the moment. If not you'll just suffer writers block for the next five days. But it you do have a sudden gush of insight/motivation right now, then I'd take a shot at it. There's nothing worse than wasted initiative.
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2010-11-25, 10:18 | Link #4479 | ||
Moving in circles
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Singapore
Age: 49
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Politicians in Japan generally have a very cushy job. The real work of governing is actually done by the civil servants, with the politician being no more than a glorified rubber stamp. For the most part, it seems, the politicians pander to various business interests in his constituency, a development that contributed directly to the "concretisation" of much of Japan's natural environment with wasteful public works. In short, Japanese pork-barrel politics at times make the American version look like child's play. The American politician at least faced the real prospect of being booted out of office — Japanese politicians, especially those of the LDP over most of the past 50 years, could typically count on staying in office until they deigned to step down. So... given such realities, how do you think ordinary Japanese would regard their politicians, notwithstanding the recent farcical state of affairs in Tokyo? Still, like in any other country, much will probably depend on who exactly you ask. From what I recall, rural Japanese have overwhelmingly disproportionate voting power versus those who live in urban areas. That makes it important for political parties to treat them very well, in order to secure power. So, I wouldn't be surprised to find farming communities and small businesses to be generally more supportive of their local politicians. |
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