Proper clothing suddenly makes snow not water.
Proper clothing suddenly makes snow not water.
Before I bought my brand-new car, when I was driving an R-titled(totalled, and then rebuilt) Frankenstein beater of a car, I loved snow-slick roads. In fact, one of my favorite things to do was throw the car into a series of fishtails on a certain flat stretch of back-road near my grandma's house. At least it was until I ended up smashing into the guard rail one night and smashing up the front end of the car. Of course, I never reported the wreck to insurance because they would have totalled the car seeing as how it was already an R-title(so even a busted tail-light in a fender-bender would have made them total it out), and no one in my family knows that I wrecked the car by being stupid with it. They just assume I hit ice for real, because that spot is fairly notorious for getting slick as shit in the winter.Originally Posted by Bhagan
But I had fun up until that whole "impact" thing, and the car ran even with the whole front clip being smashed in so bad that the radiator was now in a U shape(but it wasn't cracked!). All I had to do was fix the headlights by breaking the mountings and making new ones out of about 3 rolls of duct tape and I was technically street legal until I needed to get a new inspection sticker.
Here's another difference that fascinates me, though it isn't really international and is just more of a personal preference thing - The obsession with people "tanning" to the point that they're fucking orange and thinking that it looks good. I'd rather look like I just emerged from a 2-year stint in pitch blackness than subject myself to those horrible flash-tans and spray on tans from salons that make you look like someone coated you with tarnished copper. If I want a tan, I'll actually spend some time outside and get a natural one that's actually brown instead. And the only chemicals I'll cover myself in are typical SPF 15 sunscreens. Screw that "instant-bronzer" and "tan enhancer" crap.
Being in japan there are thousands of international differences that fascinate me - though many are well documented. A few more obscure ones are:
Why does everyone in Tokyo (where they rarely drive and it rarely snows) have snow tires, but no-one in the uk (where they always drive and it snows as much or more) has them?
Why do Japanese TV, News Shows and Newspapers cover every product launch, new store or new product, or press release? Any time a new product is launched the event will get news and tv coverage - even though it's nothing special. In the UK you get coverage for a new version of windows or a new iphone/ipad, and that's about it.
Why does everybody remain seated in the cinema until the END of the credits? Never sit in the middle of a row or you'll be trapped there for 15 minutes after the movie finishes!
As for tanning - it's interesting that in Japan women spend a fortune on whitening products, whereas in the UK they spend a fortune on tanning products. (often even the same brands).
But, for the UK, why do people put their dishes on the drying rack covered in bubbles and soap?
Because they are so polite? :) I did not know that, interesting.
To dry?But, for the UK, why do people put their dishes on the drying rack covered in bubbles and soap?
Oh and as for snow tires, I have absolutely no idea. I would say over here it doesn't snow that often...maybe the Japanese just like being superprepared? And I think Japan has more reliable periods of heavy snow, whilst ours is generally a smattering that goes after a few days. Recent years have been exceptions in terms of heavy snow.
To take a wild guess at the theater thing I think it's a show of respect for everyone involved in making the movie. Far eastern cultures tend to be much less apathetic when it comes to their work. Walking out on the credits might be considered a sign you didn't like the movie because you don't appreciate the whole crew's effort.
For tanning I know this one. Pale skin is considered beautiful and desirable in that area of the world. That's why you can see women outside wearing long sleeves all year - it's to keep their skin from tanning.
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But but but! The soap bubbles are on the dishes. You just made all your dishes and food taste of soap! Any japanese people who read your comment just went into some kind of shock!
It's interesting that the Japanese have 3 views of the UK : Everyone has umbrellas. Bad food. They leave the bubbles on their dishes. There are dozens of blogs by Japanese people living in the UK that are mainly devoted to the last point. It's even been the subject of a few prime-time tv shows. (they suspect it's one of the causes of point #2 as well).
You are both probably right about the politeness and being prepared. It's not exactly that i don't know why, it's that it's fascinating how different the mindsets and results are. Given that the LOTR credits were about 30mins, remind me to sit on the end of the row when i watch the Hobbit!
From an American? Ooh, the irony :P
Leaving bubbles on the dishes? My dishwasher doesn't do that. I presume the impression comes from TV shows and adverts, the woman in the Fairy adverts always left the bubbles on the plates.
At least American cuisine gives you something that tastes good. English cuisine is still an oxymoron.
Hamburgers and hot dogs.
Strip steaks and cheesecakes.
Porkchops and collard greens.
Ham hock and black eyed peas.
Oysters and clam chowder.
Heroes and hoagies and italians and subs and grinders and po'boys.
Bagels and pizza.
Chili con carne and gumbo.
Crawfish etoufee and jambalaya.
Cornbread and crabcakes.
You accept hamburgers - brought to us by German immigrants and morphed into something quintessentially American - but not pizza?
And with more codfish.
I can't think of that many things we eat raw, really.
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