Country Myth/Truth

[Radiochocolate]

False.

And yes, kids get prescription meds for free here, and even before that regulation was passed you got a discount at the pharmacy if you had the med in question prescribed. Quite convenient for us with allergies.
Also, Jean Baptiste Bernadotte/King Karl XIV Johan was apparently one of Napoléon's marshals. Who'da thunk it.

Sweden: even though we drive on the left, our trains are still right-trafficked.

[modelmgt]

In Texas there is no snow.

^Actually, even though this is widely believed, it's false. There's not as much snow as Michigan(or further north), for example, but there is definitely snow in the winter in Texas.

@Mia: Guessing the Sweden statement is true.

Texas still uses the electric chair as the method of execution.

[Radiochocolate]

The Sweden one was true!

I think executions nowadays are done through shots (drugs + needles), so I say false.

In Swedish schools, it is rude to call your teacher by their first name.

[RavenAngel888]

Oooo this one's hard! I'll say true?

And yeah, the Johannesburg statement was false, but not for the reasons you think lol first, we need to understand that I'm often a doofus (refer back to my Zambezi shark answer), and second, I sometimes only see the stuff I need to correct too late to actually do it... So...

eGoli means "Place of Gold", not "City of Gold", and it is a Zulu word that was given because such a large about of gold is in that area and most of it ended up being mined by Zulu guys during segregation... Yet, none of it ever made it to their tables/wives/girlfriends!

Edit: oops...

SA: the only time we come out in the top couple countries during the Olympics, is when we are called up in a Portuguese country!

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[modelmgt]

Ima say Myth.(to the SA statement)

In Japan, you can hire a handsome man to watch sappy movies with you and wipe your butt after the toilet.

[Ani-Mei]

Sadly part truth, they are called hosts. I don't know about the toilet thing but the other part.

Greenland is not green.

[RavenAngel888]

Um, isn't Greenland mostly ice? But, I'm sure there's SOME green there? Ok myth!

SA (otherwise known as the Republic of South Africa) only gets called "early" in the Olympics when a Portuguese speaking country is hosting because, in Portuguese, our name translates to Afrique Du Sol (apologies for any spelling errors to my Portuguese speaking friends)

Ok my next SA statement: we have something called "loadshedding" where the electricity is shut off at certain times in certain places to minimise the impact on the grid

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[Pony]

I'll say true. It makes sense, but sounds dangerous. My Americaness is probably showing but wouldn't shutting off power be risky with how hot it gets in SA?

In Texas, it's illegal for a landlord not to repair an AC unit.

[RavenAngel888]

Lol yup, it is true, and yup, your "Americaness" is showing lol I love that luckily, the cut off times are generally only for 2 - 4 hours at a shot, and they are staggered throughout the day around the different suburbs. We haven't had LS in a while, but, with Winter over and Summer coming, I really hope the grid can take the strain of all the aircons and fans!

I'm gonna say true, cuz, and maybe this is my Safricaness showing couldn't resist but, isn't Texas hot as hell too?

In South Africa, we drive on the left side of the road.

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[Pony]

Oo, I'm going say true. But I'm guessing from half remembered nature documentaries the few where you actually see people drive around.

It's true Texas is as hot as all get out. And a broken AC counts as an emergency in the summer time and landlords have to repair it right away. Or you can sue them.

In Texas you could chased down by a hoop snake while walking in the woods.

[RavenAngel888]

Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner! Lol yup, we drive on the left here •which is the "right" side to drive :roflol: or at least that's what most of us think here, you do have some people who seem to have received their licenses from out of a lucky packet•

Good to know about the AC! I think I might have to move to Texas! Y'all have the right idea about things there! Our AC goes on the fritz and the landlord is all "pffft you used it, you broke it, you fix it!" I feel heat waaay too much not to really hate a broken AC!

Hoop snake? Is that real? Or is it a slang term for another snake? Or, dun, dun, dun, is the snake part the slang?!? •overwhelming urge to Google, must fight it• I'm gonna say false, I think you do get a snake that "chases" people, but, it's in Oz, isn't it? And it's not so much chasing you as following you? This is also from some far flung documentary I can barely remember lol so you are not alone in that

In South Africa it is illegal to smoke in a pub/bar/nightclub

Edit: my Tapatalk seems to have done something weird and double posted could a mod delete this if I don't have a chance to go on my computer and do it myself?

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[RavenAngel888]

Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner! Lol yup, we drive on the left here •which is the "right" side to drive :roflol: or at least that's what most of us think here, you do have some people who seem to have received their licenses from out of a lucky packet•

Good to know about the AC! I think I might have to move to Texas! Y'all have the right idea about things there! Our AC goes on the fritz and the landlord is all "pffft you used it, you broke it, you fix it!" I feel heat waaay too much not to really hate a broken AC!

Hoop snake? Is that real? Or is it a slang term for another snake? Or, dun, dun, dun, is the snake part the slang?!? •overwhelming urge to Google, must fight it• I'm gonna say false, I think you do get a snake that "chases" people, but, it's in Oz, isn't it? And it's not so much chasing you as following you? This is also from some far flung documentary I can barely remember lol so you are not alone in that

In South Africa it is illegal to smoke in a pub/bar/nightclub

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[Pony]

I'm going to false. How can you down your woes in alcohol without and almost burned out cigarette hanging iut the corner of your mouth.

The hoop snake is false. Hoop snake are an urban legend. They say the snake bites its own tail and chases after you in a loop. The only way to escape it is to hide behind a tree. Then it will accidentally bite the tree with so much force its fangs will get stuck.

In Texas if you hang a dead rattlesnake on a fence rain will come.

[Jesslb429]

The rattlesnake thing could be folklore or superstition, but since I have never seen a study proving rattlesnakes on fences bring rain(sorry that sounded kinda jerky. I don't mean it in a mean way, just silly) I'm going with false on literal, true on superstition.

Pennsylvania has the highest population of whitetail deer in the US.

[Pony]

I'm willing to say that's true. Lots of woodland in Pennsylvania.

The rattlesnake is a myth. My grandpa was a cattle rancher, but he grew his own feed. He believed hanging a dead rattlesnake on his fence would bring rain. But rattlesnakes have little power over the weather.

Ocelots and jaguars are native to Texas

[Jesslb429]

There is a butt ton of woods and deer in PA, but we are actually fifth in number of deer. I actually had to look it up.

My instinct says to go with false, but I'm going true. You never know with animals. I'm usually suprised by what can be found where.

The game Silent Hill was in part based on a town in Pennsylvania.

[Radiochocolate]

The Sweden statement was false! Everyone I know calls their teachers by their first names, except for if the last name becomes a nickname (as was the case with one of the most beloved teachers). I think half the time we don't even remember our teachers' last names

I don't know much about neither Silent Hill nor Pennsylvania, so I'll go with true.

Sweden: the amount you get fined for speeding is based on your income.

[RavenAngel888]

Imma gonna say that's true, mainly cuz I'm always broke so I'd pay minimum lol

The no smoking thing is actually true. You can only smoke in pubs/bars/nightclubs outside, or in their smoking section, which has to be a room with an extractor fan that has no gaps around the door etc.

In South Africa, we eat crocodile

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[Pony]

I'm going to say true. We eat alligator here.

Ocelots and jaguars are native to Texas but have been hunted to extinction. Although there's rumors and myths of 'black panthers' wondering the woods.

In Texas workers are required to take a thirty minute lunch and at least allowed to have two ten minute breaks in an eight hour shift.

[RavenAngel888]

Yup, some people do eat crocodile (I haven't tried it, but, apparently it tastes like chicken roflmao)

I'm going to say true, we have very much the same kind of law here.

In SA, labour law grants an employee 30 days sick leave every 3 years, which can be used at any time in those 3 years.

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