The Off Topic Topic

[Barrister]

My least favourite food safety practice I ever saw was in Madagascar in 2000.

Walking down a side street and someone was displaying raw meat for sale on a wooden board. It was in the shade, but otherwise uncovered. There were a fair number of big fat flies buzzing around, congregating on the raw meat - so the proprietor pulled out a can of aerosol bug spray sprayed big clouds of it all over the meat. Then there were no flies on the meat.

oof.

But still - you were in Madagascar?!?

[Sheilbh]

My least favourite food safety practice I ever saw was in Madagascar in 2000.

Walking down a side street and someone was displaying raw meat for sale on a wooden board. It was in the shade, but otherwise uncovered. There were a fair number of big fat flies buzzing around, congregating on the raw meat - so the proprietor pulled out a can of aerosol bug spray sprayed big clouds of it all over the meat. Then there were no flies on the meat.

Eeek.

Can't think of many places I've really worried too much about food poisoning - some butchers in the Arab world with the big flies etc.

@BB I'm not as familiar with Brazilian, admittedly . Feijoada really depends on the cook. Can be great or very meh. It's also a more souther cuisine so that might be a factor in Salvador. Coaxinhas as great. Brazilian BBQ is also good (if god awful salty)

I love coaxinhas - they are fantastic

Also on the BBQ front Brazilian sushi is fantastic (as you'd expect given big Japanese community) but very weirdly also often served as a starter in the big Brazilian BBQ restaurants

[HVC]

I worked with a Japanese Brazilian lady. Parents gave her a very Brazilian name to fit in. Waneza, pronounced with a V kind of like vanessa, but with long z sound. Then they moved to Canada and everyone called her wan-e-zza (like pizza). Portuguese names man, they're tough

[Valmy]

It's from being invaded so many times by the French/Gauls. 

Hey! The French haven't invaded Italy since 1859.

Well...unless you count World War II. But that was different, the Italians invaded them first.

[Admiral Yi]

In my field the analogue would be "correlation is not causation".  When people start out not thinking about it, they probably implicitly believe that it is.  Then they get taught that "correlation is not causation", and suddenly they see anyone using correlation in any argument as a sign of ignorance.  Then you learn more and find out that while correlation is indeed not causation, in many contexts that truism is irrelevant, and that it's still very useful to establish correlation.

Good one.

[Syt]

https://diff.wikimedia.org/2025/01/31/lisbon-academy-of-sciences-adds-wikipedian-and-wikimedian-into-the-portuguese-language/

Lisbon Academy of Sciences adds wikipedian and wikimedian into the Portuguese language

New words on the Portuguese Language Dictionary: «Wikipedista» and «Wikimedista»
The Lisbon Science Academy (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lisbon_Academy_of_Sciences), responsible for the Portuguese Language Dictionary, included two new words in their official list: wikipedista and wikimedista. This terms reflect the impact of the digital era and the growing influence of collaborative platforms in knowledge and culture.

What is the definition of «wikimedista»?
Wikimedista, according to the new entry, "relates to people actively participate on any of the Wikimedia projects" including Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Wikisource or Wikidata; or members of the Wikimedia movement. It may also refer to «wikimedista em residência», a "professional that establishes a connection between an institution or organization and the Wikimedia community".

What about «wikipedista»?
Wikipedista is a "person that participates in the creation, review or editing articles on Wikipedia", the free online encyclopedia. These volunteers dedicate time to write, revise and update entries based on reliable sources, promoting free access to knowledge.

The importance of new words
The inclusion of these words on the Dictionary of the Lisbon Academy of Sciences is not only a recognition of the work of thousands of volunteers worldwide, but also a reflection of how technology and collaborative spirit transform the way we learn and share knowledge.

With this, the Portuguese language evolves, keeping up with modern times and giving room to new social, cultural and technological phenomena.

[Josquius]

When I was in France it would drive me nuts how I had spent years learning French and weeks living there to become functionally fluent. Yet Italians would show up knowing nothing (we were right by the Italian border so there were lots of them) and in a few weeks be speaking French almost perfectly, granted with very thick Italian accents.

Yes.
As an English speaker I've always been jealous at just how close many continental languages are.

[HVC]

When I was in France it would drive me nuts how I had spent years learning French and weeks living there to become functionally fluent. Yet Italians would show up knowing nothing (we were right by the Italian border so there were lots of them) and in a few weeks be speaking French almost perfectly, granted with very thick Italian accents.

Yes.
As an English speaker I've always been jealous at just how close many continental languages are.

You're English, you have both major branches in ya

[Jacob]

oof.

But still - you were in Madagascar?!?

Yeah, it was a great trip. I've been meaning to write up some of the anecdotes, but you know how it is with spare time when you've got work, children, and gaming to take care of....

[Duque de Bragança]

Brazilians actually sound like they're speaking a Romance language right?

Nope. Just some creolised sabir. 
Not to mention the accents or dialects vary wildly, with one infamous for having an English-like r. So much for (pseudo-) Romance feeling.

[Duque de Bragança]

Portuguese sounds very not-weird to me. 

Because one of its dialects is an official language of Spain, that's why. 

[Valmy]

with one infamous for having an English-like r.

I bet it is from all those Confederates fleeing there after the Civil War so they could keep their human trafficking victims in bondage.

[HVC]

In other news, 4 nations hockey fights

[Duque de Bragança]

Brazilians actually sound like they're speaking a Romance language right?

I suppose it depends on what you think a Romance language sounds like

Not Portuguese :p

When I was in France it would drive me nuts how I had spent years learning French and weeks living there to become functionally fluent. Yet Italians would show up knowing nothing (we were right by the Italian border so there were lots of them) and in a few weeks be speaking French almost perfectly, granted with very thick Italian accents.

Corsicans don't count, Valmy. 
As for accents, my father when speaking French was sometimes perceived as having an Italian accent.
I must say that once Dario Argento speaking French had a Portuguese vibe to my ears. 

[Duque de Bragança]

I worked with a Japanese Brazilian lady. Parents gave her a very Brazilian name to fit in. Waneza, pronounced with a V kind of like vanessa, but with long z sound. Then they moved to Canada and everyone called her wan-e-zza (like pizza). Portuguese names man, they're tough

Fanciful spelling is so Brazilian.  cf. Luiz (old Portuguese spelling) Phellype (sic).