Gross and Nett

[anglychanin.livejournal.com]

How to translate "gross salary" and "nett salary", please

Gross salary is the sum that the employer has in his books as paying to the employee.

Nett salary is the sum that the employee actually receives. From the gross salary, the employer takes off a certain amount as "income tax" and gives it to the government. The employer also takes off various social charges which he gives to another part of the government.

Very roughly, in the UK, one third of gross salary goes to the government and two thirds to the employee.

(no subject)

[barbarakelley.livejournal.com]

I've been tempted to splurge and buy the Rosetta Stone program for learning Russian. Does it work? Is it a good way to go?

But quite honestly, I can't afford it anyway. Does anyone have a copy they don't use that I could have/borrow?

The direct object in negative sentences in Russian

[david-us.livejournal.com]

I've always been confused about the case of the direct object in negative sentences. Sometimes the object is in the genitive and sometimes in the accusative.

Which is correct?

Я не покупаю хлеб.
Я не покупаю хлеба.

Ребенок не бросает мяч.
Ребенок не бросает мяча.

Are both correct, yet convey a different meaning?

For instance, in the first sentence: Could one mean "I am not buying bread" (at this moment) whereas the second sentence means "I don't buy bread" (as in, "I never buy bread.")  If not, how would a Russian express these different connotations? Perhaps, to convey the difference, in Russian, you must use the word никогда.

David Emerling
Memphis, TN