When I write the word “cheap” in Russian, the first choice that the spell-check offers to compliment it is “prostitutes.”

In Ukrainian, it gives me “airplane tickets” and “hotels.”

In English, “cheap” is followed by “manipulators” but that because I use the expression a lot.

12 responses to “Cultural Specifics”

  1. PaulS Avatar
    PaulS

    In SA I get flights followed by bus tickets followed by cars for sale.

    Like

  2. overgrownhobbit Avatar

    You are really good at this.

    May God grant that all the nations of Ukraine and Russia (and the U.S.!) have a just peace, free from the Satanic oligarchs and their pet eunuchs who seek to rule us.

    Like

    1. Clarissa Avatar

      Tell me, what is it that you like about Venezuela, Cuba, Iran, and North Korea? I’m sincerely interested.

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      1. overgrownhobbit Avatar

        No you aren’t.

        Though I wish the Cubans, Venezuelans and North Koreans could be free from the monstrous powers that rule them as well.

        What kind of decent woman would not want that for the people of any nation?*

        (*I can do it too, albeit clumsily)

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        1. cliff arroyo Avatar

          “free from the monstrous powers that rule them as well”

          I would too if I believed that’s what they want, but… look at russians, they were freed from the monstrous powers that ruled them in the USSR and 20 years later they were happily under the yoke again…

          You can’t just wish freedom on people, they have to want it… (as perhaps Iranians do right now…)

          Liked by 1 person

          1. overgrownhobbit Avatar

            Yes. Their freedom was short-lived. I will admit to a prejudice against the Russian s. It

            is still horrible what happened to their country.

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            1. cliff arroyo Avatar

              “still horrible what happened to their country”

              No. It’s horrible what they did to themselves….

              Liked by 1 person

              1. Clarissa Avatar

                Even Soloviev and Simonian are acknowledging that it’s going badly:

                https://www.thedailybeast.com/putins-top-cheerleaders-panic-over-mobilization-mutiny

                I’m eagerly awaiting Tucker Carlson’s segment today on how orderly, happy and well-organized the Russian mobilization is.

                Like

  3. el Avatar
    el

    Two posts that complete each other – btw, hope Iranians change their horrible regime, would’ve been great news both for them and for me, the best present:

    “С Новым еврейским годом, с новым еврейским счастьем.
    .
    В России – ну вы сами знаете.

    А в Иране – крупнейшие беспорядки со времен великой революции. Если армия не поддержит режим, власть аятолл может слететь.

    И в Китае какой-то мутняк, говорят

    Похоже, Клио наскучили 6 месяцев военных сводок и она включила ускоренную перемотку.”

    And the suitable painting:

    путешествие Нильса с черными лебедями

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    1. Clarissa Avatar

      Of course, it would be great if the Iran regime fell. They’ve been helping Russians, sending drones. Now they are murdering their own citizens. Incredible bastards.

      Like

  4. el Avatar
    el

    Д.Клиффорд в “переводе” Лифшица
    .
    Нас оставалось пятеро
    В промозглом блиндаже.
    Командованье спятило.
    И драпало уже.
    Мы из консервной банки
    По кругу пили виски,
    Уничтожали бланки,
    Приказы, карты, списки,
    И, отдаленный слыша бой,
    Я — жалкий раб господен —
    Впервые был самим собой,
    Впервые был свободен!
    Я был свободен, видит бог,
    От всех сомнений и тревог,
    Меня поймавших в сети,
    Я был свободен, черт возьми,
    От вашей суетной возни
    И от всего на свете!..
    Я позабуду мокрый лес,
    И тот рассвет, — он был белес, —
    И как средь призрачных стволов
    Текло людское месиво,
    Но не забуду никогда,
    Как мы срывали провода,
    Как в блиндаже приказы жгли,
    Как все крушили, что могли,
    И как нам было весело!

    Like

  5. el Avatar
    el

    Stefan Schaller, the manager of the German energy company EWF Energie Waldeck-Frankenberg GmbH, was an “observer” at the Russian sham “referendum” on the occupied territories of the Zaporizhzhya Oblast. Here’s the Facebook page of his company: https://facebook.com/ewf.nordhessen

    https://mobile.twitter.com/A_SHEKH0VTS0V/status/1573631905618083842

    Like

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A conservative literary critic and college professor