Test...hello? Is this thing on?
Posted by SnarkyShark at January 7, 2006 08:57 AMpessimist: "According to George, we all need to learn another 'language'..."
That's pretty funny, coming from a president who hasn't even managed to learn one language.
Posted by JGabriel at January 7, 2006 08:59 AMCool.....waz having problems..all better now.
When I Clark testify at the 9/11 hearings I thought he came off as a serious and dedicated person. And I thought he ripped Chimpy a new one.
When there wasn't mass public outcry, and when CNNs version of events in no way matched what I saw, thats when I realized how badly the corperate media was in bed.
I for one will never forget or forgive.
Posted by SnarkyShark at January 7, 2006 09:02 AMI agree with JGabriel -
Wouldn't we gain some credibility if GW could learn to speak English? I think this would be a fine place to start.
Posted by Anjha at January 7, 2006 09:07 AMToo true, JGabirel. You see, he has a problem with some English language sounds because of the roundness of his mouth. God knows you can't get that kind of roundness by putting square things in there.
Posted by phidipides at January 7, 2006 09:24 AMSnarky - exactly! In fact, Clarke is pretty much the only person so far that seemed the least bit competent. Have you read Against All Enemies? That was the first time I felt like I was getting the real story about what happened behind the scenes leading up to and after 9-11. And I think he's the only public figure to this day that has acknowleged that we the people exist at all in the big picture. Just a feeling I get when I see the plastic politians spewing garbage.
Posted by iamcoyote at January 7, 2006 09:26 AMI don't know how it is in your communities, but we have underfunded public schools. Enormous class sizes, massive funding for children with IEPs (Individual Educational Plans) - these are kids with diagnoses, LDs and BDs - and very little funding for advanced kids. Then there are the forgotten middle, kids who are just right where they are supposed to be, who receive little attention. We have NO funding for arts and humanities.
There is massive call for volunteer parent support (which is impossible when every parent needs to work more than full-time just to make ends meet.
If there is any humanities taught it is from volunteer parents (most of whom are involuntarily out of work.)
We have an enormous population of ESL students. They need extra help as well, which also requires parent volunteers.
Then there are the lack of supplies. Every year we are asked to send about $50 of supplies at the beginning and then throughout the year must send snacks and other supplies as they run out. The teachers themselves spend massive amounts of their own money to supply the classrooms.
The schools are old and need updating for concern of asbestos and water quality problems - lead specifically - for which this year the drinking fountains are off limits and bottled water must be supplied.
Also, the teachers spend more time on test prep than teaching. Must fill the "ALL children left behind" legislation.
The kicker - I supposedly live in a 'middle class' neighborhood.
GFL with teaching foreign language in my kid's school. Actually he learns more from his friends who speak other languages than he learns english in the classrooms.
GW can go to hell. (which should feel like home since that's where he came from)
Posted by Anjha at January 7, 2006 09:29 AMLast time I listened, Texans still - supposedly - spoke American English...
Well, it's like English, but bigger.
Posted by dj moonbat at January 7, 2006 10:08 AMWell, it's like English, but bigger.
As in, "more pronounced"?
Posted by Sharon at January 7, 2006 10:25 AMOh, yes, Does Junior mean language immersion programs such as this? Those actions speak louder than any words you might whisper in their native language to them Mr. Preznit. I think that this initiative must be a part of his shoot first, ask questions in their native language later approach.
Now don't get me wrong, I am in total agreement theory-wise with the idea. I just don't think...no scratch that...I know this Administration is not competent or willing to enact the program the way it should be and with the right amount of funding attatched to it.
phidipides,...welcome back, your words of wisdom have been sorely missed. Hope you stick around for awhile.
dj, thanks for the chuckle...it's only bigger. I didn't realize junior was a native texan, I thought he was a Connecticut Yankee?
Posted by emal at January 7, 2006 10:25 AMI didn't realize junior was a native texan,
You are correct in your thinking the idiot son is not a native Texan. The accent is fake. His business prowess is fake. His presidency is a fake. He looks like no other child in the family. My God, it's a pentafecta!
Posted by phidipides at January 7, 2006 10:35 AMI didn't realize junior was a native texan, I thought he was a Connecticut Yankee?
He kept having trouble spelling "Coneticutt" on forms, so he moved.
Posted by dj moonbat at January 7, 2006 10:40 AMHe kept having trouble spelling "Coneticutt" on forms, so he moved.
Posted by dj moonbat at January 7, 2006 10:40 AM
***********
heh
"He kept having trouble spelling "Coneticutt" on forms, so he moved."
LOL Pretty funny stuff djmoonbat for a Saturday.
Posted by Judith at January 7, 2006 11:36 AMHave you read Against All Enemies? That was the first time I felt like I was getting the real story about what happened behind the scenes leading up to and after 9-11.
Yes, I bought it the first day it came out. I consider it the de facto truth, and the yardstick by which I measure how far Chimpys pablum wanders from the truth.
Plus he always had that Dean attitude, ready and willing to stomp the crap out of any and all blow-hards.
Reminds me of me own wee self laddy.
Posted by SnarkyShark at January 7, 2006 12:15 PMI didn't realize junior was a native texan, I thought he was a Connecticut Yankee?
Yep, carpet-baggin sum-bitch alright.
Don't know why the red-neck contingent down here bought into him so hard. Lotta buyers remorse though. Not talked about, but there nevertheless.
Posted by SnarkyShark at January 7, 2006 12:19 PMGuess they liked that yee-haw as a forign policy thing.
They said Bush would git er done.
They don't really say that too much anymore.
Posted by SnarkyShark at January 7, 2006 12:22 PM
That eastern-raised exHarvard drunkard wouldn't know a real Texan unless one walked up and gave him a real cow for his cow-less ranch.
Unless, of course, it was Tom DeLay with a bagfull of campaign money.
Posted by Hank at January 7, 2006 01:33 PMThis all hits fairly close to home for me. Just about anything would be an improvement over the current visa policy. It has been extremely difficult for internationals to get in the country to study. Those international students are how I earn my meager paycheck.
I also agree with the quote in the post from the Boston College director. It is a well known fact of language aquisition that there must be context. Of the handful of people I known who learned a foriegn language in the military -- most of them hardly remember much of any of it a few years later. In contrast, my old students, who learned English within a context of culture, history and literature, stay in contact with me regularly and have almost always shown how they have not only maintained their proficiency, but more often than not, continued to improve.
I've said it before -- I have an open offer to move the entire bush clan completely and forever out of my state for free.
Posted by dorita at January 7, 2006 01:59 PMdorita, I bet they got better manners also!
Posted by bbtb at January 7, 2006 04:57 PMI'm sorry, but in what way are they "your" jobs? I assume you have no problem exporting goods to India; why complain when Indians export services to the States?
And as regards learning a second language for economic reasons - isn't that precisely what the Indians did?
Anyhow, read Krugman's "Pop Internationalism". The problem is not exports vs imports, the problem is savings vs investment. The US has been living beyond its means for years, borrowing capital to fund investment and consumption. Inevitably that has consequences.
Posted by Phoenician in a time of Romans at January 7, 2006 05:04 PMAnd as regards learning a second language for economic reasons - isn't that precisely what the Indians did?
Economics may have played more of a role in recent years, but with regard to India, there is also the fact of having been a British colony that perhaps was more of a driving factor historically.
Posted by dorita at January 7, 2006 06:04 PMI assume you have no problem exporting goods to India; why complain when Indians export services to the States?
The situations are not directly parallel, as you sneakily imply: If, by selling America goods to India, we were shortchanging American consumers, I suspect we would have complaints aplenty. We are shortchanging American laborers in many instances by offshoring services, so we have reason to complain.
Posted by dj moonbat at January 7, 2006 06:08 PMThe situations are not directly parallel, as you sneakily imply: If, by selling America goods to India, we were shortchanging American consumers, I suspect we would have complaints aplenty.
The parallel is that by selling goods to India, you are shortchanging Indian labourers, who would otherwise be producing those goods domestically. To anyone who understands competitive advantage, this is a foolish arguement - as is the claim that by buying services from India, you are shortchanging American labourers.
Posted by at January 7, 2006 09:39 PMTo anyone who understands competitive advantage, this is a foolish arguement - as is the claim that by buying services from India, you are shortchanging American labourers.
The software that allows Indians to take over customer service jobs was not produced in India. Buying customer services from India may very well backfire in the long run. But for now, US customers are stuck with dealing with Indian customer service reps. That is the problem.
Another simplistic idea brought to you by our resident dolt in the WH.
Posted by Judith at January 8, 2006 12:13 AMSpeaking of customer service coming to you via India. I need a new computer and printer/scanner. I will not be buying another Hewlett Packdard product because all inquiries are handled through India. Furthermore, I found out that men in India do not like agressive American women. LOL
Posted by Judith at January 8, 2006 12:23 AMThe software that allows Indians to take over customer service jobs was not produced in India.
And the plastics in your computer probably weren't made from oil pumped in the US. So?
Posted by at January 8, 2006 03:34 AMJudith
You aren't going to have much luck finding anything domestic to replace your current equipment. The majority of laptops - regardless of label - are produced in Taiwan, and I'm not aware of any domestic printers. Most customer 'service' has been offshored to India or Pakistan, and those poor slobs have to undergo the Walmart treatment just to get the job in the first place. Take lessons in American idiom, adopt a phone persona, submerge their native expressions under those learned from immersion in Hollywood movies - only to have to deal with irate Americans who are discovering what their support for the GOP has brought them.
It's a wonderful life!
Posted by pessimist at January 8, 2006 03:49 AMThe parallel is that by selling goods to India, you are shortchanging Indian labourers...
So?
Posted by dj moonbat at January 8, 2006 05:53 AMPessimist, I am sure you are right. The experience I had was horrific. After four (yes that's 4) hours on the phone with some guy in India, not only was I ready to strangle someone, but he was likewise pissed. The next day, I got back on the phone again (for another two hours), and got a very nice guy who knew what the f**k he was talking about. The young man had been educated in the United States and was furthering his education by working part-time at HP after returning to India. Not only did he know the Hewlett Packard product, but was intelligent enough to figure out the problem. From that developed a friendship and he still emails me now and then. He is now a student in Australia. I was so grateful that I sent a letter to the President of HP about him.
Posted by Judith at January 8, 2006 07:15 AM