Ask A Foreigner

Lisnaholic · 05-28-2016, 04:55 PM

Thanks, mordwyr, that's a very good summary and some nice pics. I see what you mean about the mix of high-rise, low rise and parks.
You can learn a lot about a city from a good map, and (thank you, Google) I see that Tokyo is a complicated place, but with a lot of variety too. Koto-Ku looks pretty nice, for example; it's pronouncable, has lots of water and a big park - just the sort of breathing space you need after those packed subways and shopping alleyways, I should think!

In Mexico, they don't do a very good job of designing cities; they use a grid system for the streets, then sell every square inch off to developers. Typically, you get a dusty square that passes for a park every twenty blocks, and sidewalks so narrow that there is space for utility poles, or pedestrians, but not both. Downtown it's difficult to move around, and in the suburbs people walk in the roads.
The extreme is Mexico City, which has some of the worst urban probs in the world.

P.S. Those fashionable girls look very strange, but happy enough. Two of them look like they're wearing chrome cylinders instead of shoes!

Lisnaholic · 01-13-2020, 07:52 AM

This always struck me as a good thread idea that is rather under-utilised. It's a great way to get the max out of the internet and is an anthropologist's dream: you can ask-and-answer with an actual native about the bizarre rituals and inexplicable mysteries of some exotic foreign country. That's why I'm posting this question this morning:-

Who is voting for what in Iowa, and why is it important?

The Batlord · 01-13-2020, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisnaholic

you can ask-and-answer with an actual native about the bizarre rituals and inexplicable mysteries of some exotic foreign country.

Such a British thing to say.

Plankton · 01-13-2020, 08:06 AM

It's one of the most influential caucus's in the electoral process based on past results.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa_caucuses

Why the race for the presidency begins with the Iowa caucus

**Frownland** · 01-13-2020, 08:20 AM

They're the first to vote, making it the first time people make their voice heard outside of polls, and traditionally the neofascist that wins Iowa is later elected president.

Lisnaholic · 01-13-2020, 08:39 AM

^ Well that turned out to be weirder than I imagined! Thanks.

As I understand it, any regular registed voter can take part, but they have to be sufficiently commited to hang around for sometime in a conference hall and stand in a designated place to be head-counted as supporting one guy or other as a Presidential candidate. Is that right? Do you think a guy can go stand in a Dem caucus one night and then in a GOP caucus the next night? I presume America will also be watching for how many people total turn up at the Dem meetings and how many at the GOP. That's an important indicator too.

EDIT: Thanks for that extra info, and classic Frownland slant !

**Frownland** · 01-13-2020, 08:52 AM

They have a closed primary, which means that you have to register as a member of the party that you caucus with. I think most Americans will just look at the headlines and say "whelp, Iowa said x".

Burning Down · 05-04-2011, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gundywrx

is it legal to kill people in austrailia
?

I don't think it's legal to kill people anywhere...

**Janszoon** · 08-04-2013, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Isaac

I would like to ask why half of my posts don't show up as being posted?

Why do you feel a foreigner would have special insight into that?

05-28-2016, 04:55 PM	#1 (permalink)
Lisnaholic ...here to hear... Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: He lives on Love Street Posts: 4,444	Thanks, mordwyr, that's a very good summary and some nice pics. I see what you mean about the mix of high-rise, low rise and parks. You can learn a lot about a city from a good map, and (thank you, Google) I see that Tokyo is a complicated place, but with a lot of variety too. Koto-Ku looks pretty nice, for example; it's pronouncable, has lots of water and a big park - just the sort of breathing space you need after those packed subways and shopping alleyways, I should think! In Mexico, they don't do a very good job of designing cities; they use a grid system for the streets, then sell every square inch off to developers. Typically, you get a dusty square that passes for a park every twenty blocks, and sidewalks so narrow that there is space for utility poles, or pedestrians, but not both. Downtown it's difficult to move around, and in the suburbs people walk in the roads. The extreme is Mexico City, which has some of the worst urban probs in the world. P.S. Those fashionable girls look very strange, but happy enough. Two of them look like they're wearing chrome cylinders instead of shoes! __________________ "Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

01-13-2020, 07:52 AM	#2 (permalink)
Lisnaholic ...here to hear... Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: He lives on Love Street Posts: 4,444	This always struck me as a good thread idea that is rather under-utilised. It's a great way to get the max out of the internet and is an anthropologist's dream: you can ask-and-answer with an actual native about the bizarre rituals and inexplicable mysteries of some exotic foreign country. That's why I'm posting this question this morning:- Who is voting for what in Iowa, and why is it important? __________________ "Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

01-13-2020, 08:06 AM	#4 (permalink)
Plankton Just Keep Swimming... Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: See signature... Posts: 7,765	It's one of the most influential caucus's in the electoral process based on past results. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa_caucuses Why the race for the presidency begins with the Iowa caucus __________________ See location...

01-13-2020, 08:20 AM	#5 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	They're the first to vote, making it the first time people make their voice heard outside of polls, and traditionally the neofascist that wins Iowa is later elected president. __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x

01-13-2020, 08:39 AM	#6 (permalink)
Lisnaholic ...here to hear... Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: He lives on Love Street Posts: 4,444	^ Well that turned out to be weirder than I imagined! Thanks. As I understand it, any regular registed voter can take part, but they have to be sufficiently commited to hang around for sometime in a conference hall and stand in a designated place to be head-counted as supporting one guy or other as a Presidential candidate. Is that right? Do you think a guy can go stand in a Dem caucus one night and then in a GOP caucus the next night? I presume America will also be watching for how many people total turn up at the Dem meetings and how many at the GOP. That's an important indicator too. EDIT: Thanks for that extra info, and classic Frownland slant ! __________________ "Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

01-13-2020, 08:52 AM	#7 (permalink)
Frownland SOPHIE FOREVER Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: East of the Southern North American West Posts: 35,541	They have a closed primary, which means that you have to register as a member of the party that you caucus with. I think most Americans will just look at the headlines and say "whelp, Iowa said x". __________________ Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth. d e a f b o x