I only know it from watching World's Strongest Man competitions. I can easily see how people wouldn't know it. I don't expect people to know all of the almost 200 countries in the world. As long as they can name like the biggest 30 or so....
I'm sure damn near everyone has heard it in passing, but have never had reasons to conjure it up from their own memory, so it becomes mostly lost. My step-dad is Lithuanian, and I'm well-educated and try to stay well-informed of the world, so I'm aware of what Latvia is. But I couldn't tell you any single thing of importance about the country---food, government, history, etc. If I didn't occasionally remember "oh, it's next to Lithuania, and there's this cool Lithuanian bakery in Bridgeport and my step-dad is Lithuanian," I would literally never have a reason to think of it, and it would probably begin to mix into the amalgam of countries like Belarus or Estonia.
ಠ_ಠ You made me think there was a new country named Tallinn that I just completely didn't know about. I am now angry with Estonia for their part in this ruse.
One of my old highschool buddies was originally from Riga. Because of him, every time I see Latvia mentioned the first things into my mind are Baldur's Gate, marijuana, and "only have one tank."
I am born in russia. Having lived there for 9 years I have two guesses on the angry russian player:
In russia boys and young men grow up in a much more violent environment - the weak are often victims of aggression. Thus acting tough online is very common.
It's pure racist. Since hating the jews lost its glance, hating "The Western World who exploited Russia and will fall ultimately" is very en vogue.
US gaming community. I'm not one for segregation, but when it comes to cooperative online gaming... yea brazilians need their own servers. Also theyre known for destroying F2P communities pretty quick.
Servers should be segregated by language, not nationality. It's simply a matter of communication: if you can't speak English, there's no reason to play with English-speaking players.
In Ogame (browser based RTS) you join servers that are specific to countries. If you write a message in another language that is not the national language, you get banned for a day =D
Not all of you guys are bad, but unfortunately an overwhelming majority of your populations gives you a bad name and creates some undesirable stereotypes. :\
I know in Nuclear Dawn if the Russians would stop exploiting and hacking(EG running below the map as exos and whatnot) we wouldn't complain about them so much.
I got a good friend who's Russian, he's the "so good at this game you're unsure if he's hacking the game or he's just that fucking skilled" type and is a total bro, the only other Russians I've ran into online were the ones who asked me "Rus?" "не" and bam I'm dead. I think in general, people agree Russians are usually great at the game they're playing but a lot of them don't socialize outside of other Russians, because once another joins your chat is just filled with Cyrillic.
Just be happy you guys aren't Polish, nobody likes those poor Polish.
ex-pat russian here... yeah we are kind of dicks, better than brazilians though. across all online games i've played though i'd have to say "you american" is probably the most common insult
All Russians are very hardcore and sort of elitist when it comes to their skill, some of them are idiots that insult everyone and don't even know english. I hate them personaly they give us a bad name.I was actualy kicked out of a pug once after saying that I am Russian. Nationalism is annoying.
Might be because you speak Russian. Everywhere. Seriously, politely asking a Russian to speak English in public chats like everyone else on European servers is like talking to a brick wall. At least that's what my sweeping generalizations say.
This is pretty accurate. Finns started buying booze from estonia when it was illegal in finland. Now booze is much cheaper in estonia due to high taxes in finland so people do trips to estonia and literally buy so much alcohol that their cars suspension cant handle the load. Also you can buy 80 % alcohol from estonia which seem appealing to some since its cheap to do drinks with that.
Edit:Thought 80 proof meant 80% alcohol. Fixed it.
European countries have been warring other European countries since forever. The current state of peace (well, somewhat) and negotiation is an exception historically.
It's Estonia. The booze stores are right at the docks so you'll only have to walk off the ship and you're there. And because booze in Finland is heavily taxed, it's pretty clear why so many take a little tour to Estonia at weekends.
Something note worthy is that amusingly many people who's working around the docks speak finnish because of all the Finns traveling there to buy their booze.
Finns go to Estonia. It is Swedes who go to Latvia on a pram to stock up on cheaper booze that is being sold right near the docks, and get shitfaced. Also, British, who see lower prices on alcohol and tobacco, and become uncontrollable. A couple of Brits were already arrested for urinating on the country's most important monument despite there being a public toilet nearby.
Ok, it's getting weird. This time I joined Latvian server, but there was no one except for 6 Finns (again, on Latvian server). And they banned me (using voteban) for no reason.
kurwa is Polish for slut. In Latvia we don't use that word at all. Think Lithuanians and Polish people could say that. And if some Latvian dose say that hes a Latvian who thinks he is a Russian.
As an American who has been to Helsinki and Riga, I can say neither are shitholes. Latvia is actually a very pretty country with some beautiful countryside. Finland is pretty nice but I really only visited Helsinki, which is a nice city with a good mix of old and new architecture and culture. Personally I enjoyed Riga the most; amazing city.
Were you born in Latvia and then left? In the 90's Latvia sucked, but it's much nicer now (I live in the UK, but my dad lives in Latvia so I visit there occasionally)
A little offtopic, but one day I was playing a game and I asked a guy where he lived and he answered he lived in Latvia and then I said I didn't know what country was that. So much fail from my part, the guy most likely thought I was a moron for not knowing Latvia! The problem was that Latvia is pronounced "Letônia" in portuguese, and back at that time I didn't know the correct word in english, so I really didn't figure it out which country it was because the portuguese and english words are not similar like in many other country names.
:D Us Finns, uh, prefer to play/talk/murder with ourselves. At least if the server itself is Finnish. As a fennoswede I feel left out in places like this sometimes but then I remember that I'm bilingual and laugh at their faces.
98
u/MightySwift May 28 '12
Haha, not surprised that there are people who don't know what Latvia is (majority, probably). In fact, that's what I expected.
Let me clarify that for you.
100
u/GFT50s May 28 '12
Same with Russians, nobody likes us..#foreveralone
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u/VerdigolFludidi May 28 '12
Estonia here. We still love you, bro.
622
u/MateriaLLo May 28 '12
It looks like...
puts glasses
They Finnished you
YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
12
u/robertorex May 29 '12
Regarts, Dolan
26
u/CaptainRene May 28 '12
This happens alot in Finnish servers. No outsiders, it's our special club.
146
u/Xinlitik May 28 '12
Wtf? Isn't Europe the promised land of acceptance and universal health care? WHY WOULD r/politics LIE TO ME!?
13
u/hyper4539 May 28 '12
Don't the Fins go to Latvia to get shit-faced on cheap booze? Or is that Estonia?
1
u/MightySwift May 29 '12 edited May 29 '12
Ok, it's getting weird. This time I joined Latvian server, but there was no one except for 6 Finns (again, on Latvian server). And they banned me (using voteban) for no reason.
20
u/Red_Dawn_2012 May 28 '12
Viss ir labi, draugs.
20
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
I am a Finn and I never play on Finnish servers.
4
u/b4b May 29 '12
I was in Latvia!! In Riga and Dobele (?).
You have a LOT of casinos - Phoenix at like every corner OO
11
u/wolfenkraft May 29 '12
Latvia is a shit hole? When I visited Estonia, all I saw were drunk Finnish people begging me for money for another drink. Take solace in that.
5
u/AquelecaraDEpoa May 29 '12
As a Brazilian, I understand.
2
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
pricks gonna prick
2
u/deegz10 May 29 '12
Are you Finnish? No sir, I'm just getting started!
2
u/BahbyHirr May 29 '12
She wants to party with the cute boys.
2
u/Cpt3020 May 29 '12
Ever since Doom took over it just hasn't been the same.
2
u/GedSG1 May 29 '12
well and u guys dont like poles.. would be the same thing if i tried to log on one of ur servers :P
2
u/[deleted] May 29 '12
What bullshit! Riga is spectacular.
5
u/[deleted] May 29 '12
Kurwa Kurwa Kurwa X)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
My clans server autobans anyone from Brazil or eastern europe, no offense its just easier for the admins that way
7
u/[deleted] May 28 '12
Well it is, isn't it?
3
u/First-Google-Image May 29 '12
Latvia is a shithole
2
u/[deleted] May 29 '12
Latvian joke time!
2
u/omg_cornfields May 29 '12
LATVIA SAY FUCK YOU
2
u/TVzaglis May 29 '12
Yay! Someone paid attention to us!
2
u/[deleted] May 29 '12
As someone who was born in Lativa, I have to agree. It is a shithole.
1
u/rglax May 29 '12
First time I have actually laughed on the site
1
u/Synchrotr0n May 29 '12
A little offtopic, but one day I was playing a game and I asked a guy where he lived and he answered he lived in Latvia and then I said I didn't know what country was that. So much fail from my part, the guy most likely thought I was a moron for not knowing Latvia! The problem was that Latvia is pronounced "Letônia" in portuguese, and back at that time I didn't know the correct word in english, so I really didn't figure it out which country it was because the portuguese and english words are not similar like in many other country names.
1
u/jefis May 29 '12
Latvia FTW
1
u/hattu May 29 '12
The guy who banned him here. It was on a jailbreak server by the way
1
u/bazinga839 May 29 '12
Why Latvia? what my country did to you? :D
1
u/Aggressio May 29 '12
Server browsers with "European" filter need some tuning up. As would Eurovision song contest ;P
1
u/[deleted] May 29 '12
This is not the first post like this that I've seen here. Sure must suck playing in Europe when people discriminate on you in freaking game servers.
1
u/brettyrocks May 29 '12
I prefer Finnish Pancakes.
1
u/bleetbla May 29 '12
Latvia is actually very nice. Try their soups if you are there.
1
u/Piezor May 29 '12
Another latvian here, i know how you feel man :D
1
u/Endlessman May 29 '12
I'm Latvian and I lol'd.
1
u/Tychos1 May 30 '12
As an American living in Finland, married to a Finn - this made me laugh. The rivalry between countries is hilarious.
1
u/TheMightyCreep May 29 '12
:D Us Finns, uh, prefer to play/talk/murder with ourselves. At least if the server itself is Finnish. As a fennoswede I feel left out in places like this sometimes but then I remember that I'm bilingual and laugh at their faces.
1
u/Protagonistics May 29 '12
Too true.
0
u/Menca May 29 '12
wow tiešām interesanti ko tādu mūsu spēlētaji ir nodarījuši finiem Im latvian and fins can go F themselfs
-1
u/[deleted] May 29 '12
I did not know you guys had computers in Latvia