Absolutely Anything Else

Tököl

An airfield was built during World War II, which was to become a Soviet military base. During the Hungarian Uprising, Pál Maléter, as Defence Minister for the Imre Nagy government, went to negotiate with the Soviet military presence and was arrested during the negotiations.

SimonTrew wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

I've been to Tököl and it's an odd place.  Former Soviet (?)

Is that possible to say former soviet I am not sure myself. I mean I know there were soviets all over the place and could they be former soviets. YOu would say the former soviet union wouldnt you so I think yeah, former soviet just about is right. you're right I do hungarian during the week and English on weekends so my brain switched and hasn't quite switched back to Hungarian yet, but you are bang on the money I think.

I could have written FSU - Former Soviet Union - which is the way it was referred to in literature around the time of the collapse of that empire.  I believe a Soviet was originally is a union of workers or like a parliament.

You see this elsewhere too - German Bundesrepublik - union (Bund) republic as it's a federation setup in a similar fashion to the USA.  Austria is the same - federation.  Australia maybe.  Canada uses the word province but looks more like federation to me.

UK is quite baffling to some people.  But the name is in the title - United Kingdom (of Great Britain and Northern Ireland).   So not a federation.

There is a great Documentary on Netflix at the moment titled "The Vietnam War" Which covers everything before it 1800's, both World Wars etc.... I only watched the first episode as it lasted 1hr 20mins. But very fascinating about Russia and then the USSR etc...

Well worth a watch if you are interested in history.

SimCityAT wrote:

There is a great Documentary on Netflix at the moment titled "The Vietnam War" Which covers everything before it 1800's, both World Wars etc.... I only watched the first episode as it lasted 1hr 20mins. But very fascinating about Russia and then the USSR etc...

Well worth a watch if you are interested in history.

I watched the whole thing several months ago. I think it was on the BBC.  About 10 episodes in total.
Very informative and recommended.

I'm old enough to remember the actual news report as the final American foot lifted off the top of the US embassy.

I do actually read braille and can do British Sign Language but have not learned Hungarian Sign yet, have to get I think to learn that one of these days. I know how to sign thankyou it is the same as in British, right hand to lips, mouth open wave on right hand. I have a bit of a talent for languages, I speak not only what it says, English and Spanish and whastever it says, I speak most Latinate languages that is not hard, I can parlez vous and tu quo quo, I can read braille on my fingers I am not blind this probably sounds patronising but I learned some Braille to help out a blind friend I had, and he showed me how to do it. I learned most of these languages many years ago and I am not perfect in any, I can speak Japanese, no idea with Chinese. But the devil speaks in forked tounges, I just tried dialling him 666 and number is busy.

fluffy2560 wrote:

I'm old enough to remember the actual news report as the final American foot lifted off the top of the US embassy.

Which US embassy do you mean? there are many around. The one in London?

SimonTrew wrote:

... But the devil speaks in forked tounges, I just tried dialling him 666 and number is busy.

Sure you aren't holding the phone upside down?

Whenever I've tried to contact El Diablo, I'm always stuck in queue.

"Your call to Beelzebub is important to us.....you are number....(different robot voice) 666 in the queue.....While you are holding....have  you heard about our special offers....a weekend for two in Skelmersdale*..."

I suspect that's part of my own version of hell.  Every hell personalised.

*Skelmersdale is a really naff new town in the UK. No-one wants to be there, even for free. Substitute your own national version.

fluffy2560 wrote:

I believe a Soviet was originally is a union of workers or like a parliament.

I think it is usually translated "Soviet" into British English as "council" that is how I would translate it. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) is/was the council of councils. But "council" is just such a British word, yes it is hard to translate it really beyond that... meeting is not good enough. I am sure Wikipedia will probably tell you but I edited ant translated French to English and so on, on Wikipedia, for many years but too many idiots have crap that they put in now the youngsters on the internet, that it takes longer to take it out than put it in so I just gave  up.

The missus and I translated from Hungarian to English all of the battles of 1848. I think we did a fair job on that, no doubt changed a bit since, but I whacked in all the pictures, we did the translation together, her strtuggling in English and me trying to fork it out. I am actually a good translator but it does not happen in a second (I am deliberately keeping this in English here).

"Council" in British English but can't think of an American equivalent.

SimonTrew wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

I'm old enough to remember the actual news report as the final American foot lifted off the top of the US embassy.

Which US embassy do you mean? there are many around. The one in London?

Last Helicopter out of Saigon

There's iconic footage somewhere if you search for it.  You can see the person's foot lift off.

I have spent many nights adding or rather sub editing iffy things on Wikepedia, gone to public libraries with a stack of books behind me a blue pencil behind my ear going no that is not quite right, say it this way. But nobody the youngsters actually go and get a book and read through it, that is where the Internet is too easy, go to the library and get a book. The Internet is way too easy for the youngsters and then they never read and learn from a book now do they. Oh, just look up Wikipedia on my smartphone, don't go read a book.

Well they keep closing public libraries here in Hungary and in UK. I suppose it makes sense financially but I would love to go to a library and just pick a book at random and maybe learn something,. WHy to they keep closing them they were opened  so that poor people like me could get a book for nothing and return it next week. Now Libraries hardly exist and it is all Internet. The Internet is a marvellous thing but it is the death of libraries. It has to be, the world moves on, but it is a pity.

Definitions of Soviet

noun
an elected local, district, or national council in the former Soviet Union.
"Legislative power, for its part, was vested in the USSR Supreme Soviet and in the constituent soviets of the republics."

a citizen of the former Soviet Union.
"Nor can we be said to have pure capitalism anymore than the Soviets had pure communism."

adjective
of or concerning the former Soviet Union.
"Instead, Ivan's hero status affords him special privileges in Soviet society."

SimonTrew wrote:

....

"Council" in British English but can't think of an American equivalent.

I was musing over "council" but I think this doesn't do it enough justice wordwise.  They were Soviet Republics at (somewhat) a national level in their enforced federation.  So I plumped for Union as it was more neutral and had parallels with national/federal states as they are now.

fluffy2560 wrote:

SimCityAT wrote:

There is a great Documentary on Netflix at the moment titled "The Vietnam War" Which covers everything before it 1800's, both World Wars etc.... I only watched the first episode as it lasted 1hr 20mins. But very fascinating about Russia and then the USSR etc...

Well worth a watch if you are interested in history.

I watched the whole thing several months ago. I think it was on the BBC.  About 10 episodes in total.
Very informative and recommended.

I'm old enough to remember the actual news report as the final American foot lifted off the top of the US embassy.

This is the one

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1877514/pl … tt_stry_plhttps://www.netflix.com/title/80997770

fluffy2560 wrote:

There's iconic footage somewhere if you search for it.  You can see the person's foot lift off.

Gotcha yeah I remember seeing that before. That would be um again have to be careful here but know what you mean, yeah taking the last six out back home to the good old u s of a

SimonTrew wrote:

....
Well they keep closing public libraries here in Hungary and in UK. I suppose it makes sense financially but I would love to go to a library and just pick a book at random and maybe learn something,. WHy to they keep closing them they were opened  so that poor people like me could get a book for nothing and return it next week. Now Libraries hardly exist and it is all Internet. The Internet is a marvellous thing but it is the death of libraries. It has to be, the world moves on, but it is a pity.

Sometimes a library is the only place you can find stuff.  Libraries have to reinvent themselves as information points. 

In the UK, libraries have to get you books (for free) if you request them.  And the library system has to hold all copies of books published in the UK.   

Librarians are still important as are archivists. Sometimes computers are not enough.  We should be calling them information management specialists nowadays.

fluffy2560 wrote:

SimonTrew wrote:

....

"Council" in British English but can't think of an American equivalent.

I was musing over "council" but I think this doesn't do it enough justice wordwise.  They were Soviet Republics at (somewhat) a national level in their enforced federation.  So I plumped for Union as it was more neutral and had parallels with national/federal states as they are now.

Well that is a bugger isn't it. There is the United States (I am led to believe) so I see where you're going
County. How is that. I mean in American the smaller divisions are counties. That is probably nearer, county, for U. S. English?

fluffy2560 wrote:

Libraries have to reinvent themselves as information points. 

In the UK, libraries have to get you books (for free) if you request them.  And the library system has to hold all copies of books published in the UK.   

Librarians are still important as are archivists. Sometimes computers are not enough.  We should be calling them information management specialists nowadays.

Totally agree with you on that,. They must be "information points" to struggle to survive, but I think that is a struggle they will lose. Partly the UK property boom if I can call it that, they are far more valuable to turn into flats or whatnot, so these buildings are in the council's or government's eyes just a waste of money and we can't afford a librarian. Dewey Decimal must be turning in his grave.

there is a reason they are called "public libraries" because the public paid for them. That is you and me. We paid for them, the public paid for them, and the public should be allowed to go into them. if the government stopped spending taxes on whatever it is this week they might be able to keep libraries "open and accessible".

fluffy2560 wrote:

UK is quite baffling to some people.  But the name is in the title - United Kingdom (of Great Britain and Northern Ireland).   So not a federation.

The United Queendom surely

SimonTrew wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

SimonTrew wrote:

....

"Council" in British English but can't think of an American equivalent.

I was musing over "council" but I think this doesn't do it enough justice wordwise.  They were Soviet Republics at (somewhat) a national level in their enforced federation.  So I plumped for Union as it was more neutral and had parallels with national/federal states as they are now.

Well that is a bugger isn't it. There is the United States (I am led to believe) so I see where you're going
County. How is that. I mean in American the smaller divisions are counties. That is probably nearer, county, for U. S. English?

But the Soviet is the people who sit in there making decisions. Like a District Council. Who are the people who sit in Hasrris county or whatever making the decisions, committee might be better, in both UK and US English. Committee, is probably better? Google translate of course translates "soviet" as "soviet" which is about as much use as a snake in an ass kicking competition.

SimonTrew wrote:

[....Google translate of course translates "soviet" as "soviet" which is about as much use as a snake in an ass kicking competition.

I thought it was a one legged man in an ass kicking competition?

Which brings me to this important social commentary on one legged disabilities and the job market.

(singing) if I knew you were coming I'd have baked a cake, baked a cake, baked a cake. If I knew you were coming I'd have baked a cake, how'd you do how'd you do how d'you do.

Eileen barton whack the link into youtube.

fluffy2560 wrote:

Which brings me to this important social commentary on one legged disabilities and the job market.

The link does not work for me is it by any chance Peter Cook interviewing Dudley more for the role of Tarzan? "Need I point out, without overmuch emphasis, where you fall down?" Your right leg, I like. As soon as I saw it I thought, that is a lovely leg for the role. Now need I point out without undue emphasis where your deficiency lies...  I have nothing against your right leg. The trouble is neither do you,.

del

Well I spend many an hour navel gazing and it got to me wondering, how did that 5Ft coin get into my belly button?

SimonTrew wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

Which brings me to this important social commentary on one legged disabilities and the job market.

The link does not work for me is it by any chance Peter Cook interviewing Dudley more for the role of Tarzan? "Need I point out, without overmuch emphasis, where you fall down?" Your right leg, I like. As soon as I saw it I thought, that is a lovely leg for the role. Now need I point out without undue emphasis where your deficiency lies...  I have nothing against your right leg. The trouble is neither do you,.

Yes, that's the one.   Here's another version when they were older  PC+DM Tarzan or just Google for it.

I have just got an advert for the ""handbook of titration". that will be one i have to buy, I know how to titrate but having a handbook of it might be a useful reminder. i love that, how do these things ever get published?

Marilyn Tassy wrote:

Call me a fool

you're a fool.

Now call me a cab,

SimonTrew wrote:

I have just got an advert for the ""handbook of titration". that will be one i have to buy, I know how to titrate but having a handbook of it might be a useful reminder. i love that, how do these things ever get published?

\well vanity press i suspect but who would go to that bother to get it into print or bother to wriite it? I have read many odd books in my time but this is in print not on the internet, probably a vanity publisher.

i got some duracells over the internet they were very cheap from some welsh weirdo. but when they arrived he said batty rhys is not included,

SimonTrew wrote:

SimonTrew wrote:

I have just got an advert for the ""handbook of titration". that will be one i have to buy, I know how to titrate but having a handbook of it might be a useful reminder. i love that, how do these things ever get published?

\well vanity press i suspect but who would go to that bother to get it into print or bother to wriite it? I have read many odd books in my time but this is in print not on the internet, probably a vanity publisher.

Answering your own posts?

fluffy2560 wrote:

SimonTrew wrote:

SimonTrew wrote:

I have just got an advert for the ""handbook of titration". that will be one i have to buy, I know how to titrate but having a handbook of it might be a useful reminder. i love that, how do these things ever get published?

\well vanity press i suspect but who would go to that bother to get it into print or bother to wriite it? I have read many odd books in my time but this is in print not on the internet, probably a vanity publisher.

Answering your own posts?

\elvis is alive and singing return to sender

SimonTrew wrote:

....
Elvis is alive and singing return to sender

That's just fake news, Elvis has left the building.

now i have the abc of titration being advertised to me. this is, according to the blurb, more basic than the other one that is entirely comprehensive

i know what tit ration is. that is when your missus will not take off her bra

SimonTrew wrote:

now i have the abc of titration being advertised to me. this is, according to the blurb, more basic than the other one that is entirely comprehensive

i know what tit ration is. that is when your missus will not take off her bra

I've got sparrows in my garden regularly stealing our chicken's food. My bird box had some tits in it. I think they were blue tits.  It was a huge success this year.  We took a photo and we had 4 babies in there so we were quite pleased with that.  So no tit rationing in our garden.

Are you sure you aren't frequenting Amazon's helpful incendiary making "bought together" offerings?

fluffy2560 wrote:

Are you sure you aren't frequenting Amazon's helpful incendiary making "bought together" offerings?

great tits like coconuts,

when i lived in letchworth the mental health people came round and wondered why i had a tiny book of british birds ana a kiddies set of binoculars that of course you can not actually see anything through. well they are there just as a joke really but they do not believe you would just put them there for a joke. who runs the united kindomm? the RSPB. \they have spies behind every hedge.

on a completely different ramble i got a lighter and it says on the sticker that has casino fire- 3/4'', so that means that there is only seventy-five percent chance i can set fire to a gaming outlet? i still think that is pretty weak odds, i am sure i could have a better chance than that,.

Transfer fromhttps://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=788149&p=2#4250331" target="_blank">https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … =2#4250331

In England we don't use the phrase Pocketbook, we say wallet (man) and purse (woman) although the differences these days might be moot.

It's definitely To-maah-toe, not Tom-ate-o.

fluffy2560 wrote:

Transfer fromhttps://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=788149&p=2#4250331" target="_blank">https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … =2#4250331

In England we don't use the phrase Pocketbook, we say wallet (man) and purse (woman) although the differences these days might be moot.

It's definitely To-maah-toe, not Tom-ate-o.

you say tomato and i say paradicsom, you say krumpli and i say spud,..

temeto, cemetary,  patata, manuana, i think we should call the whole thing off,

SimonTrew wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

Transfer fromhttps://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=788149&p=2#4250331" target="_blank">https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … =2#4250331

In England we don't use the phrase Pocketbook, we say wallet (man) and purse (woman) although the differences these days might be moot.

It's definitely To-maah-toe, not Tom-ate-o.

you say tomato and i say paradicsom, you say krumpli and i say spud,..

temeto, cemetary,  patata, manuana, i think we should call the whole thing off,

There's that deja-vu again...

last night i dreamed i was eating an enormous curry. But when i woke up my pilau was gone.

fluffy2560 wrote:

SimonTrew wrote:

fluffy2560 wrote:

Transfer fromhttps://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=788149&p=2#4250331" target="_blank">https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.p … =2#4250331

In England we don't use the phrase Pocketbook, we say wallet (man) and purse (woman) although the differences these days might be moot.

It's definitely To-maah-toe, not Tom-ate-o.

you say tomato and i say paradicsom, you say krumpli and i say spud,..

temeto, cemetary,  patata, manuana, i think we should call the whole thing off,

There's that deja-vu again...

Thanks Mr. Fluffy for moving this topic over.
I am not very handy with computers and really don't have the patients to figure it all out.
I personally find the Australian accent to be sort of cute.

My hairdresser is from OZ and he speaks very clearly, English is his second language, I think, he also speaks Spanish. He is also learning Hungarian, he is one of the most "social" people I know and have known for many decades.
He knows everyone is Budapest it seems.There is a large Spanish speaking community in Budapest and he does everyone's hair.

My American accent, I've been told by many people, Hungarians too,  is very easy to understand .
I do cringe when I hear myself speaking though, hate the sound of my own voice, think most people find it uncomfortable to hear themselves speak. Always wished to have a Lauren Bacall voice.
I try to speak very clear, suppose all these decades with a newbie English speaking husband has taught me to get it right the first time around.

Our mother was also strict about manners. She was forever telling us to speak up and not mumble like we had food in our mouths.
She made a big thing out of trying to be more upper class then ones birth was.
She was totally in another world as far as that sort of stuff goes.
Suppose many mother's did that in the past to improve their daughters chances of landing a wealthy husband of a higher class. No women's liber's then, although the ladies on mom's side smoked and drank, in private!
Worked for my 2 older sisters, for a time.
Funny thing is my husband does come from a higher class of people in Hungary, just no big bank account going with the title!
Guess that was one reason my mother freaked out when I told her my then boyfriend was from Hungary.
She said when she first met him that he looked like a Blank Blank refugee!!
Funniest thing ever because it was true!
She actually said, she had wasted her time and energy on me if I was settling for a refugee with no family in the US to help us out. She had enough children to deal with and 4 daughters to marry off.
Wow, thanks, mom allot of confidence there...
No it was how parents used to think and believe, can't fault anyone for looking out for their own.
In the end she was crazy about my husband. Respected him allot.

Actually it's the English that could be blamed for my mothers strict behavior and way of seeing the world.
She was raised by her 2 older aunts and grandmother ,ladies from Queen Victoria's day.
Ladies did this and that, one should try to better themselves, all sorts of social rules.
Mom even had to wear white gloves when she helped clean house, to double check for any left over dust.
Sounds a bit restrictive to me.
She took singing lessons when she could pay for them herself at age 17, learned to speak clear and direct, fixed her teeth with braces, had her acne looked at.
Always trying to do better was how that generation saw life, no going "backwards".