Random Comments/Stream of Consciousness Thread

[Hunchback Jack]

Something has been eating at me recently (I've had to make a fair amount of customer service phone calls. What's annoying is you invariably have to navigatr past the "Spanish speaking" options and disclaimer in Spanish.
I have to admit that I am at aloss as to why every other immigrant to the U.S. has to learb English except for the Latin cultures where we go the distance to provide "Spanish speaking" alternatives in our signs and services. I have nothing against, Latin American immigrants in general. I think that as a culture they contribute substantially to the general U.S. population. I've always founf those that I have encountered to be hard workers with good traditional values for the most part in my experience of course.

So, why is it that they are afforded this second level of communication and signage while nothing is done for any of the other multitude of immigrants? (Like, Muslim or Slovic populations doe instance) My grandparents immigrated from, Germany. Not only did they make learning, English a priority they enjoyed no alternative second form of communication. I just don't understand why the Spanish speaking folks are so special as compared to all other immigrants to the U.S. They still represent a minority" in the states, no? So what is the big difference? One thing that led to my posting is that in an interview a "Spanish" politician was amazed that the interviewer came from, L.A. and didn't speak Spanish!! Apparently, according to some Latin Americans, all Americans should also speak Spanish now a days. What's up with that? English, is still the official U.S. language, no? And it has been since the country was formed in 1776 and every other culrure that immigrated to the states had to learn English and were not afforded the same accommodations the Spanish speaking fiks are abd that they now seem to feel that speaking only English in the U.S. is a failure on our part as English speaking citizens.

Is there some kind of valid reason for this practice?

Well, keep in mind that in some states, Spanish was spoken by its residents before English was.

HBJ

[herbertwest]

I know one of the know racist (LePen, right?). It's really sad to see who that kind of people have support.
Good luck, J.

So, back to square 1 : candidates 2 & 3 were very close, but we're back to having Macron vs Le Pen in two weeks.
Given the situation of defunding public services, having spent billions on american consulting companies, having had pandemic (and not supporting hospitals / teachers) and the numerous strikes all over the country over the past 5 years and the president's plan to make people work more (hourly) and longer before retiring... I am not SO SURE that he'll be elected again.
Not so sure at all...

We'll see but... fuck.

Tomorrow evening we'll know if the french president remains the same of becomes Marine Le Pen...

[webstar1000]

After 2 years my dream library is almost done. I need another day and it’s done.
So amazing to re-open books that you had wrapped for so long. Like Christmas!!! I’m so proud of my collection.

[St. Troy]

Something has been eating at me recently (I've had to make a fair amount of customer service phone calls. What's annoying is you invariably have to navigatr past the "Spanish speaking" options and disclaimer in Spanish.
I have to admit that I am at aloss as to why every other immigrant to the U.S. has to learb English except for the Latin cultures where we go the distance to provide "Spanish speaking" alternatives in our signs and services. I have nothing against, Latin American immigrants in general. I think that as a culture they contribute substantially to the general U.S. population. I've always founf those that I have encountered to be hard workers with good traditional values for the most part in my experience of course.

So, why is it that they are afforded this second level of communication and signage while nothing is done for any of the other multitude of immigrants? (Like, Muslim or Slovic populations doe instance) My grandparents immigrated from, Germany. Not only did they make learning, English a priority they enjoyed no alternative second form of communication. I just don't understand why the Spanish speaking folks are so special as compared to all other immigrants to the U.S. They still represent a minority" in the states, no? So what is the big difference? One thing that led to my posting is that in an interview a "Spanish" politician was amazed that the interviewer came from, L.A. and didn't speak Spanish!! Apparently, according to some Latin Americans, all Americans should also speak Spanish now a days. What's up with that? English, is still the official U.S. language, no? And it has been since the country was formed in 1776 and every other culrure that immigrated to the states had to learn English and were not afforded the same accommodations the Spanish speaking fiks are abd that they now seem to feel that speaking only English in the U.S. is a failure on our part as English speaking citizens.

Is there some kind of valid reason for this practice?

The U.S. has no official language (I think it's one of those things that didn't get done because it seemed so obvious, and by the time the need became apparent, it was too late to build the necessary political momentum).

The things you mention have been the case for many years (remember Pat Buchanan's awesome "meatball" commercial?).

It's largely a consequence of:

- concentrated populations reaching a critical mass of size that enables the ability to get along through life without learning English
- benefits enabling these populations to exist with a previously unsustainable inability to self-support
- the U.S.'s growing attitude (in politics but also society generally) that to ask anything of non-European immigrants is a form of hate
- a particular immigration subset's willingness to exist at the resulting inferior socioeconomic position while the general U.S. attitude mentioned above gradually nudges support systems and services in their direction in the name of "rights"

Policies have consequences.

[St. Troy]

After 2 years my dream library is almost done. I need another day and it’s done.
So amazing to re-open books that you had wrapped for so long. Like Christmas!!! I’m so proud of my collection.

Sounds truly great (especially to someone who has been reduced to a single bookcase...).

[Br!an]

[herbertwest]

I know one of the know racist (LePen, right?). It's really sad to see who that kind of people have support.
Good luck, J.

So, back to square 1 : candidates 2 & 3 were very close, but we're back to having Macron vs Le Pen in two weeks.
Given the situation of defunding public services, having spent billions on american consulting companies, having had pandemic (and not supporting hospitals / teachers) and the numerous strikes all over the country over the past 5 years and the president's plan to make people work more (hourly) and longer before retiring... I am not SO SURE that he'll be elected again.
Not so sure at all...

We'll see but... fuck.

Tomorrow evening we'll know if the french president remains the same of becomes Marine Le Pen...

Good. It's not Le Pen.
We keep the same current president.

Big relief for me

[Brian861]

Love this video. As the owner of a shelter dog, there is nothing more rewarding for both of us. We are the best of pals.

[Tommy]

I know one of the know racist (LePen, right?). It's really sad to see who that kind of people have support.
Good luck, J.

So, back to square 1 : candidates 2 & 3 were very close, but we're back to having Macron vs Le Pen in two weeks.
Given the situation of defunding public services, having spent billions on american consulting companies, having had pandemic (and not supporting hospitals / teachers) and the numerous strikes all over the country over the past 5 years and the president's plan to make people work more (hourly) and longer before retiring... I am not SO SURE that he'll be elected again.
Not so sure at all...

We'll see but... fuck.

Tomorrow evening we'll know if the french president remains the same of becomes Marine Le Pen...

Good. It's not Le Pen.
We keep the same current president.

Big relief for me

toutes mes félicitations

[Ari_Racing]

I know one of the know racist (LePen, right?). It's really sad to see who that kind of people have support.
Good luck, J.

So, back to square 1 : candidates 2 & 3 were very close, but we're back to having Macron vs Le Pen in two weeks.
Given the situation of defunding public services, having spent billions on american consulting companies, having had pandemic (and not supporting hospitals / teachers) and the numerous strikes all over the country over the past 5 years and the president's plan to make people work more (hourly) and longer before retiring... I am not SO SURE that he'll be elected again.
Not so sure at all...

We'll see but... fuck.

Tomorrow evening we'll know if the french president remains the same of becomes Marine Le Pen...

Good. It's not Le Pen.
We keep the same current president.

Big relief for me

Well done

[Ricky]

Had a blast chatting with Josh Malerman for Wicked Horror! Full interview here: Malerman Discusses ‘Bird Box’ and His Love for the Horror Genre [Written in Blood]

[Br!an]

Twitter, Inc. (NYSE: TWTR) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by an entity wholly owned by Elon Musk, for $54.20 per share in cash in a transaction valued at approximately $44 billion. Upon completion of the transaction, Twitter will become a privately held company.

[Randall Flagg]

Wine tasting at Stolo vineyards in Cambria:

[darkseer]

Wine tasting at Stolo vineyards in Cambria:

You guys have the best weather.

[herbertwest]

Looks good !

[Br!an]

Jerry Garcia's army evaluation...

[ur2ndbiggestfan]

Good thing he never met General Patton.

[EXPLORER]

Jerry Garcia's army evaluation...

Good thing he never met General Patton.

GLAD HE WAS GIVEN RESPECT BY BEN & JERRY !

[Lurker]

Maybe he should have picked jail.

[Iwritecode]

Good example of why I'm so against the idea that people bring up that we should have some sort of mandatory military service in this country. You'd get thousands of kids just like this with absolutely no interest in being there.

[Lurker]

How about them Supremes? Whew. Never thought they'd have a leaker.

[Randall Flagg]

A group of us are headed over to San Francisco for tonight's Neil Gaiman event!

[shaq]

A group of us are headed over to San Francisco for tonight's Neil Gaiman event!

Thank him for the red thread edition of Coraline. Enjoy

[ICry4Oy]

How about them Supremes? Whew. Never thought they'd have a leaker.

Dark times are coming.

[Merlin1958]

How about them Supremes? Whew. Never thought they'd have a leaker.

Dark times are coming.

Unfortunately, they're already here.