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Post by mlm828 on Jul 16, 2007 16:47:14 GMT -5
In the U.S., there are six major holidays which most (but not all) people have off: New Year's Day, Memorial Day (last Monday in May), Independence Day (July 4), Labor Day (first Monday in September), Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
There are a number of other holidays which many government employees have off, but may not be holidays for people in the private sector, including: Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, Lincoln's Birthday, Presidents' Day or Washington's Birthday, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, and the day after Thanksgiving. In California, government offices also observe Cesar Chavez Day.
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Post by Katryna on Jul 16, 2007 16:49:24 GMT -5
This place has a washing machine, but the first day I put four shirts in it, pulled the chain and haven't seen them since. Huh? One of those old fashioned toilets where the tank is up high on the wall, and a gravity feed flushes? When I read BJO's letter, I recognized it immediately. It is a variation of a "Letter from an Irish Mother to her Son", posted below. That explains the washing machine with the pull chain - this letter has been around for quite some time! I hope those of Irish Ancestry on the board, take this in the light in which it was intended. There are blonds on the board as well! Dear Son,
Just a few lines to let you know I'm still alive. I'm writing this letter slowly because I know you can't read fast. We are all doing very well.
You won't recognise the house when you get home - we have moved. Your dad read in the newspaper that most accidents happen within 20 miles from your home, so we moved. I won't be able to send you the address because the last Irish family that lived here took the house numbers when they moved so that they wouldn't have to change their address.
This place is really nice. It even has a washing machine. I'm not sure it works so well though: last week I put a load in and pulled the chain and haven't seen them since.
Your father's got a really good job now. He's got 500 men under him. He's cutting the grass at the cemetery.
Your sister Mary had a baby this morning but I haven't found out if it's a boy or a girl, so I don't know whether you are an auntie or an uncle.
Your brother Tom is still in the army. He's only been there a short while and they've already made him a court martial!
Your Uncle Patrick drowned last week in a vat of whiskey in the Dublin Brewery. Some of his workmates tried to save him but he fought them off bravely. They cremated him and it took three days to put out the fire.
I'm sorry to say that your cousin Seamus was arrested while riding his bicycle last week. They are charging him with dope peddling.
I went to the doctor on Thursday and your father went with me. The doctor put a small tube in my mouth and told me not to talk for ten minutes. Your father offered to buy it from him.
The weather isn't bad here. It only rained twice this week, first for three days and then for four days. Monday was so windy one of the chickens laid the same egg four times.
We had a letter from the under-taker. He said if the last payment on your Grandmother's plot wasn't paid in seven days, up she comes.
About that coat you wanted me to send you, your Uncle Stanley said it would be too heavy to send in the mail with the buttons on, so we cut them off and put them in the pockets.
John locked his keys in the car yesterday. We were really worried because it took him two hours to get me and your father out.
Three of your friends went off a bridge in a pick-up truck. Ralph was driving. He rolled down the window and swam to safety. Your other two friends were in back. They drowned because they couldn't get the tailgate down.
There isn't much more news at this time. Nothing much has happened.
Your loving Mum
P.S. I was going to send you some money but I had already sealed the envelope. |
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Post by krissie on Jul 16, 2007 16:55:54 GMT -5
[quote author=krissie board=topfive thread=1179553063 post=1184618963 I know, it's well known that the European countries get way more statutory holidays than us.  Here in Canada, we get: New Year's Day Easter (1 or 2 days--Good Friday yes. Now many of my friends working for private corporations don't get Easter Monday anymore, it's turning into a gov't holiday) Victoria Day (May) July 1 (Canada Day) August long weekend, can't offhand remember what this one is Labor Day (September) Thanksgiving Monday (October) Remembrance Day (Nov. 11) Christmas Day Boxing Day (again, lots don't get it anymore) Some provinces also have a special one in Feb, to break up the time between Jan. 1 and Easter, it's a looooooong stretch. It's often called Heritage Day or Family Day. So it really varies! H'm. Interesting... So you get more than the English, but less than people in Scotland? The English get: New Years Day; Good Friday and Easter Monday; a Monday at the beginning of May; a Monday at the end of May; a Monday at the end of August, Christmas Day and Boxing Day -- a total of eight days. Scotland is just plain strange. We get a total of twelve public holidays a year (something that is a pretty well kept secret from the English!  ) However, when exactly these are depends on where you live. We have statutory holidays (Christmas and New Year, for example) then things that are described as 'local holidays', which are set ... well ... locally. So today was apparently a holiday in Glasgow, but wasn't here... although the post office decided to shut). What is lovely about our holidays is that quite often we get a Friday and a Monday off, so we get a lovely four day weekend. (Next one due in September.) So... I get ... um... New Years Day, January 2nd, Good Friday, Easter Monday, that single Monday at the beginning of May, a Friday and a Monday at the end of June, Friday and Monday towards the end of September, a Monday in October, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. (Quite honestly, I have no idea what the ones in September and October are in aid of. All I know is that I shall make a point of enjoying them!) Maybe I should point out here that I work in the public sector. Maybe things are different in the private sector. Not sure about that. I think there are countries in Europe that get more than us, but don't know for sure. Krissie |
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Post by mlm828 on Jul 16, 2007 17:11:55 GMT -5
Another area where I think the U.S. (and Canada, probably) differ from the UK and Europe is in the matter of vacations. From what I've read, some Europeans receive -- and actually take -- up to four to six weeks of vacation a year. In many businesses and professions in the U.S., there is a lot of subtle and not-so-subtle pressure not to take vacations, even if you have vacation time coming. A case in point is my former law partner, who basically went off the deep end whenever anyone took any time off. When someone went on vacation, his routine was to go into that person's office and review all of their cases, then bitch about everything that was done wrong, or hadn't been done, on that person's cases. One of many reasons why this individual is my former law partner.
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Post by inuvik on Jul 16, 2007 17:20:55 GMT -5
Thanks Kathy, but I still don't get it. What is the machine she puts the clothes in?
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Post by Katryna on Jul 16, 2007 19:09:02 GMT -5
Thanks Kathy, but I still don't get it. What is the machine she puts the clothes in? Here ya go, Inuvik.  |
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Post by Chris on Jul 16, 2007 19:46:02 GMT -5
Another area where I think the U.S. (and Canada, probably) differ from the UK and Europe is in the matter of vacations. From what I've read, some Europeans receive -- and actually take -- up to four to six weeks of vacation a year. Yup, that would be us ;D By law we have five weeks of vacation plus most people have an additional week obtained through collective bargaining. AND as an interpreter employed in the agency where I work we have one more weeek which makes it a total of seven weeks for me, all payed for of course ;D We have the seventh week as a way of preventing work-related injuries in arms, shouldres and neck, which are very common for interpreters. On top of that we have ten national holidays per year. In many businesses and professions in the U.S., there is a lot of subtle and not-so-subtle pressure not to take vacations, even if you have vacation time coming. A case in point is my former law partner, who basically went off the deep end whenever anyone took any time off. When someone went on vacation, his routine was to go into that person's office and review all of their cases, then bitch about everything that was done wrong, or hadn't been done, on that person's cases. One of many reasons why this individual is my former law partner. Nice guy!!!!  - Chris  |
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Post by bjobsessed on Jul 16, 2007 21:30:31 GMT -5
The letter I posted was actually a Newfie Mom's letter to her son, but I changed it to blonde since that would be more familiar to everyone. Newfie refers to those who are from the province of Newfoundland here in Canada. Newfie jokes are very similar to blonde jokes. I'm not sure how the jokes got started because of course Newfies are very nice just like blondes.
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Post by matilda on Jul 16, 2007 22:44:38 GMT -5
The letter I posted was actually a Newfie Mom's letter to her son, but I changed it to blonde since that would be more familiar to everyone. Newfie refers to those who are from the province of Newfoundland here in Canada. Newfie jokes are very similar to blonde jokes. I'm not sure how the jokes got started because of course Newfies are very nice just like blondes. We have Tasmanian jokes here and the resemblance to Newfoundland always strikes me - isolated. Is that why these jokes develop do you think? But then Irish, blonde - mmm, maybe we all just need someone to have a go at! Cheers Matilda |
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Post by matilda on Jul 16, 2007 22:47:57 GMT -5
Another area where I think the U.S. (and Canada, probably) differ from the UK and Europe is in the matter of vacations. From what I've read, some Europeans receive -- and actually take -- up to four to six weeks of vacation a year. In many businesses and professions in the U.S., there is a lot of subtle and not-so-subtle pressure not to take vacations, even if you have vacation time coming. A case in point is my former law partner, who basically went off the deep end whenever anyone took any time off. When someone went on vacation, his routine was to go into that person's office and review all of their cases, then bitch about everything that was done wrong, or hadn't been done, on that person's cases. One of many reasons why this individual is my former law partner. Ooooooh my favourite topic - industry/sector-wide bad, bad, bad work cultures. Good on you mlm that you bit legal industry bullet and this is your former law partner! Breaking the pattern, lovin that. Matilda |
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Post by inuvik on Jul 17, 2007 11:16:59 GMT -5
The letter I posted was actually a Newfie Mom's letter to her son, but I changed it to blonde since that would be more familiar to everyone. Newfie refers to those who are from the province of Newfoundland here in Canada. Newfie jokes are very similar to blonde jokes. I'm not sure how the jokes got started because of course Newfies are very nice just like blondes. We have Tasmanian jokes here and the resemblance to Newfoundland always strikes me - isolated. Is that why these jokes develop do you think? But then Irish, blonde - mmm, maybe we all just need someone to have a go at! I think the reason for the Newfie jokes is their accent. Not their fault, of course, but there ya go! Here's a little blurb I just found on Newfie jokes. A note for non-Canadians... Newfoundland is a unique place in Canada -- basically a big rock populated by Gaelic fisherfolk who managed to avoid joining Canada until 1949. Newfoundland has a distinct society and culture with its own unintelligible brogue, an endless stream of singing, dancing and fiddling families with record deals, and plenty of grief and strife caused by the loss of all the cod. Still, they now have oil so it’ll be boom time as soon as they figure out how to get the oil off the sea bed with nets.
The Newfie joke is usually in two forms. The first is the Newfie outwitting the mainlander (i.e. a Canadian) or, the Newfie joke plays the same role that the Irish joke plays for the English, the Kerryman joke for the Irish and the Kiwi joke for Aussies. From: breakeh.com/?q=node/13 |
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Post by Chris on Jul 17, 2007 15:38:44 GMT -5
We have Tasmanian jokes here and the resemblance to Newfoundland always strikes me - isolated. Is that why these jokes develop do you think? But then Irish, blonde - mmm, maybe we all just need someone to have a go at! I think we do.... Here we make fun at people coming from a place called Aarhus (the second largest city in the country BTW) I think the reason for the Newfie jokes is their accent. Not their fault, of course, but there ya go! I think the reason for our Aarhus jokes is the same - their accent, they talk a bit slow as if they are not too bright  - Sorry Mom, I didn't mean you of course ;D - Chris - Aarhus/Copenhagen cross |
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Post by Chris on Jul 17, 2007 15:39:15 GMT -5
Isn't it funny how the word 'politics' is made up of the words 'poli' meaning 'many' in Latin, and 'tics' as in 'bloodsucking creatures’? - Chris |
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Post by inuvik on Jul 17, 2007 15:57:27 GMT -5
Isn't it funny how the word 'politics' is made up of the words 'poli' meaning 'many' in Latin, and 'tics' as in 'bloodsucking creatures’? - Chris Good one Chris! |
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Post by bjobsessed on Jul 20, 2007 10:28:26 GMT -5
Hopefully, I didn't post this one already.
If the professor on Gilligan's Island can make a radio out of a coconut,
why can't he fix a hole in a boat?
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) However, when exactly these are depends on where you live. We have statutory holidays (Christmas and New Year, for example) then things that are described as 'local holidays', which are set ... well ... locally. So today was apparently a holiday in Glasgow, but wasn't here... although the post office decided to shut). 
- Sorry Mom, I didn't mean you of course ;D