Observations from a Canadian visiting New Zealand:
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@sundogplanets @at I’m impressed every time a European nails my ancestral “Massachusetts” on the first try.
@0xabad1dea @sundogplanets @at we have had decades of practice pronouncing Massachusetts correctly thanks to famous and dearly missed comedian Loriot who created a short funny story about a family dad trying to film his family on the moment of the arrival of a piano in the house which was a gift from his mother, a certain Berta Planikowsky from Massachusetts. As you can imagine the joke centered on the near impossibility for anyone to pronounce either last name or origin in front of a camera
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Observations from a Canadian visiting New Zealand:
-Making NZers say "Saskatchewan" is kind of hilarious
-Roundabouts work really really well when everyone is used to them
-Drip coffee apparently does not exist here (espresso-based coffee drinks only. Even at the one Dunkin Donuts I saw in a hideous mall I had to go inside in Auckland).
-NZ signs do not play around (see example below)@sundogplanets
I like that the important sign warning about the danger of the cliff is held up with tape. -
Really weird that I believe the US invented Roundabouts then abandoned them.
In the UK they also work when people follow the signs and road markings. Which stupid people cannot do.
@simonzerafa @sundogplanets There's a lot of roundabouts in Austria, and a high number of stupid drivers too, but I haven't seen much stupidity in roundabouts except the occasional ignoring of right-of-way. It was found, however, that the center of the roundabout needs to have something to block the view or people might try to drive straight over it, leading to sculptures or mounds of earth nearly in each of them.
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@simonzerafa @sundogplanets There's a lot of roundabouts in Austria, and a high number of stupid drivers too, but I haven't seen much stupidity in roundabouts except the occasional ignoring of right-of-way. It was found, however, that the center of the roundabout needs to have something to block the view or people might try to drive straight over it, leading to sculptures or mounds of earth nearly in each of them.
Yes, some UK roundabouts have decorative central islands. It gives the locals a point of reference and some artistic expression.
Mini roundabouts have central islands which are a suggestion only
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Yes, some UK roundabouts have decorative central islands. It gives the locals a point of reference and some artistic expression.
Mini roundabouts have central islands which are a suggestion only
️@simonzerafa "mini rounabouts" are those that only consist of paint lines on a big patch of asphalt? We don't have them here, they're all "fully built" with curbs, and that's probably for the better...
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Really weird that I believe the US invented Roundabouts then abandoned them.
In the UK they also work when people follow the signs and road markings. Which stupid people cannot do.
@simonzerafa @sundogplanets
I'm the past 10 years, many new traffic circles have been constructed in Michigan. Speaking anecdotally about the areas in which I often travel. There are probably many others than I've seen. I think they're a welcome addition to traffic flow control and are like a relative to the old "Michigan left". -
@simonzerafa "mini rounabouts" are those that only consist of paint lines on a big patch of asphalt? We don't have them here, they're all "fully built" with curbs, and that's probably for the better...
No, just a large blob of paint so no issues with driving straight over, as needed
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Observations from a Canadian visiting New Zealand:
-Making NZers say "Saskatchewan" is kind of hilarious
-Roundabouts work really really well when everyone is used to them
-Drip coffee apparently does not exist here (espresso-based coffee drinks only. Even at the one Dunkin Donuts I saw in a hideous mall I had to go inside in Auckland).
-NZ signs do not play around (see example below)@sundogplanets Drip coffee exists here!
I worked in a building, an old telecommunications building, which had signs posted warning about asbestos. There we had a drip coffee maker and a microwave.
OH! And you'll sometimes find them in small town motels (though I think most of them have switched to the same 2 brands of instant coffee. One of them doesn't smell like urine so that's the better of the two).
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Observations from a Canadian visiting New Zealand:
-Making NZers say "Saskatchewan" is kind of hilarious
-Roundabouts work really really well when everyone is used to them
-Drip coffee apparently does not exist here (espresso-based coffee drinks only. Even at the one Dunkin Donuts I saw in a hideous mall I had to go inside in Auckland).
-NZ signs do not play around (see example below)As another Canadian in NZ, while hiking the Routeburn track, our pretty young guide told us, when you get to the junction, take the lift.
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@dmian Usually it's just joining in. Though there may be sections of society that don't hold with their kids being taught that foreign language
@RedRobyn
It doesn’t surprise me, though. In any case, I find waiatas extremely beautiful, and this in particular a specially lovely one. 
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Observations from a Canadian visiting New Zealand:
-Making NZers say "Saskatchewan" is kind of hilarious
-Roundabouts work really really well when everyone is used to them
-Drip coffee apparently does not exist here (espresso-based coffee drinks only. Even at the one Dunkin Donuts I saw in a hideous mall I had to go inside in Auckland).
-NZ signs do not play around (see example below)@sundogplanets Somehow I can't see a sign like that and not think of one particular scene in The Young Ones.
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@rdm @sundogplanets Ordinary sharks are bad enough, and now, helisharks?
@Daveosaurus @rdm @sundogplanets
I am glad I'm not the only one who thought that!
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Observations from a Canadian visiting New Zealand:
-Making NZers say "Saskatchewan" is kind of hilarious
-Roundabouts work really really well when everyone is used to them
-Drip coffee apparently does not exist here (espresso-based coffee drinks only. Even at the one Dunkin Donuts I saw in a hideous mall I had to go inside in Auckland).
-NZ signs do not play around (see example below)@sundogplanets I don't know if you know who Zorak is (from Space Ghost Coast to Coast) but his attempt to pronounce "Saskatchewan" lives rent-free in my head. ("Skas watch a wan or whatever.")
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@0xabad1dea @sundogplanets @at we have had decades of practice pronouncing Massachusetts correctly thanks to famous and dearly missed comedian Loriot who created a short funny story about a family dad trying to film his family on the moment of the arrival of a piano in the house which was a gift from his mother, a certain Berta Planikowsky from Massachusetts. As you can imagine the joke centered on the near impossibility for anyone to pronounce either last name or origin in front of a camera
@schwestaline @0xabad1dea @sundogplanets @at The surname is Panislowski. In the context of this thread I believe this to be important. :op
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@rdm @sundogplanets @davidtheeviloverlord
As I was warned by an Aussie in NZ...
In Australia, the wildlife is trying to kill you.
In New Zealand, the wildlife is fine, but New Zealand itself is trying to kill you. (earthquake, boiling mud, poisonous gas, landslide, flood...) -
@Daveosaurus @rdm @sundogplanets
I am glad I'm not the only one who thought that!
@mattdm @Daveosaurus @rdm @sundogplanets I zoomed in and still see that. Even the spider is concerned and hightailing it!
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Observations from a Canadian visiting New Zealand:
-Making NZers say "Saskatchewan" is kind of hilarious
-Roundabouts work really really well when everyone is used to them
-Drip coffee apparently does not exist here (espresso-based coffee drinks only. Even at the one Dunkin Donuts I saw in a hideous mall I had to go inside in Auckland).
-NZ signs do not play around (see example below)@sundogplanets One of my daughters wants me to take a trip with her to there.
The plane ride is sooooo long. -
@rdm@aus.social @sundogplanets@mastodon.social And this one at Kingscliff
This heli-shark has serrated blades!
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@sundogplanets @grb090423 we call it filtered coffee in the UK. A poor substitute for almost any other kind of coffee.
But you have to remember that Canadians are raised on Tim Hortons coffee, one of the worst excuses for decent coffee IMHO.@scotdowser Tim Horton’s coffee used to be really good until they sold out to the American Wendy’s outfit and went with a cheaper blend (of course they did). MacDonalds them swooped in and got the original Timmie’s blend. Now they’re owned by a Brazilian outfit, which would lead one to hope that the coffee would get better, but nope, Timmie’s coffee still sucks, but it’s relatively cheap, and their marketing is great. Anyone I know who actually likes coffee won’t touch the stuff. @sundogplanets @grb090423
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This heli-shark has serrated blades!
@mattdm@hachyderm.io @sundogplanets@mastodon.social @rdm@aus.social Thankfully, it doesn't enable true flight. But they can coast above the water for quite some distance! It's a scary sight
