AskUSA
- Merry Christmas! How is the holiday going for you?
Including if you don't celebrate. Just a normal day for you then?
If you do celebrate, was it a good time, or did something ruin it?
- Do a lot of people in America talk to random people and start a conversation on Public Transportation?
It's a cliche, but I guess it's mostly region dependent
- When do you arrive at a party?
I arrive on time, as that's just the polite thing to do and I'm not fashionable enough for fashionably late. I also like hanging out with people before things get crowded and/or loud, though I enjoy that too.
- How is your week going so far?
This seems a helluva week!
We someone narrowly averted a government shutdown, so there's that.
The rise of extremist content I see on Lemmy makes me wonder how safe it is to be here - am I going to go onto some kind of list even if I participate merely by arguing against it? It's making me seriously nervous.
Oh yeah, and it's Christmas!⛄
- Florida is banning social media for children under 14 on January 1st, what do you think about it?
https://www.yahoo.com/news/everything-know-floridas-social-media-164123022.html
- Trump speech yesterday "it will be the policy of the United States that there are only two genders: men and women.” - can he actually do that, or can states still maintain their own policies?
Asking as I don't know which counterpowers could prevent this at state level for instance
- How many hours per day do you *actually* work?
For me (as a programmer) it really varies a ton. I used to put in insane stretches, due to the medication I needed to take in the past and that is how I got used to things in college.
Now I work more regularly, but still can put in a solid 6+ hr day most of the time, and yet some days... yeesh I'm lucky if I can get a third of that. So I work more on other days to compensate.
- Do you enjoy your job?
I am not in a comfortable situation in mine. It is a bit toxic tbh. The rest of it seems normal - so many meetings, everyone fumbling around trying to meet the goals that shift around. I do like the parts where I get to write code though:-).
Nobody enjoys 100% of every day and every activity. But do you enjoy your job... mostly?
- CDC confirms first severe case of H5N1 bird flu in the United States - are you worried?www.cdc.gov CDC Confirms First Severe Case of H5N1 Bird Flu in the United States
December 18, 2024-- A patient has been hospitalized with a severe case of avian influenza A(H5N1)
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/23282836
> Summary > > The CDC confirmed the first severe U.S. case of H5N1 bird flu in Louisiana, linked to exposure to sick and dead birds in a backyard flock. > > This marks the first backyard flock-related case in the U.S., though 61 human cases of H5 bird flu have been reported since April 2024. > > The virus belongs to the D1.1 genotype, found in wild birds and recent cases in Canada and the U.S. > > There is no evidence of person-to-person spread, and public health risk remains low. The CDC advises precautions for those exposed to infected animals.
- American parents, how big a concern are school shootings for you?
Bringing this topic up in the context of the latest school shooting in Wisconsin
Article with some data for 2024: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-17/us-school-shootings-2024-in-numbers/104734714
- How many people drink hot teas daily?
In addition to coffee daily, I also drink an Irish Breakfast tea and usually 1-2 cups of various others later in the day as well (this winter season I'll do mint, chamomile, probably Rooibos or Oolong, whatever I happen to find for cheap).
An electric water kettle was given to me as a gift (but they are cheap anyway I thought?) and it's so super fast and easy. I don't really know what I'm doing - just pour, steep for ~1 min, then drink, repeat:-). For breakfast tea I add creamer, for the rest nothing. I'm sure I could do more like put those large packs in something airtight.
What do you rock, in terms of tea🍵?
- Without checking, how many items in your home do you know the country of origin for?
Inspired by @Blaze@feddit.org's post over here:
https://feddit.org/post/5821462
I was about to post about a BIFL item that I'm happy with, and then realized it was made in Germany. Then I realized that I don't know where most of the stuff in my house is manufactured.
- Anything upcoming you are excited about?
Personally I'm looking forward to a sober holiday season. I'm white knuckling it. But already leagues above where I'd be if I were still in it. So I'm grateful and looking forward to a happy season. What about you
- Construction year of housing structures in the United States
Author: https://old.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/comments/1hfijzz/oc_construction_year_of_housing_structures_in_the/
- Are Detroit thugs going to stab my wife?
My wife and I are traveling to the US around Christmas, first staying a couple of nights at Sonder Gabriel Richard in Downtown Detroit before heading on to NYC. We were initially unbothered by what we considered overblown and outdated stereotypes about the area. We weren't worried about getting stabbed or shot.
Now my wife is hearing from coworkers and family, including family who live in Detroit, about the grave danger she's in if she stays in downtown.I'm irritated by the anxiety these people have spawned out of nothing. Maybe I'm naive but my gut still says that they're blowing things out of proportion, and at worst it's a little seedy around there.
Would any locals like to comment on how poor a choice we made staying in downtown Detroit as first time travellers to the US? We're Australian if that matters somehow.
- What style coffee do you prefer? How often do you drink it?
As to the second: daily, more or less.
Personally I prefer a good dark roast, and if it's a good blend (also for medium or light roast) I want it black.
Outside of dedicated coffeehouses though, most coffee out & about isn't what I consider "good" (I guess I'm a snob?:-P), so I usually add sugar & creamer.
(Pro-Tip: combine black coffee with a pastry for the ultimate snack, i.e. the sugar doesn't need to be poured directly into the liquid! The juxtaposition of the bitter and sweet really works well.:-)
I can't stand Starbucks coffee regardless though, so if needed I'll get a mocha. I'd sooner trust a McDonald's coffee though - seriously: b/c Lavazza is great!
It's such a personal choice though - what do you like?
- TIL that in the US, you could get acquitted from state charges, but the federal government can still prosecute on the same offences, due to a doctine known as the Dual Sovereignty Doctrine.
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/33381285
> Didn't exactly learned this "today" but the first time I heard of this, I was kinda surprised at this fact. I thought y'all should know since there is a case in the news that people are calling for Jury Nullification or Pardons. That could get a bit tricky considering this Dual Sovereignty Doctrine.
- Why do you say the letter "O" when you mean the digit "0"?
Examples:
- One oh two Main Street
- Four oh seven PM
- Biology one oh one
- Eight six seven, five three oh nine
- Four oh four: Not found
Not just a US thing, so I hope this is okay to ask here. I have just never encountered this is any language other than English. Is it simply that
O
and0
look similar, and that "oh" has fewer syllables than "zero"? I have not heard a good explanation from coworkers who I've asked. - Is block captain a common thing?
I am re-watching King of the Hill and Hank Hill is the block captain of Rainy Street. Is that a thing all over the US or more state or city specific? Is this a serious side-job and does a block captain get something in return? And how to become one?
- Very detailed map about accents in the USA. Is it accurate with your area? Link to the full map in the post body
https://aschmann.net/AmEng/#SmallMapCanada