In my high school, the people who were the bottom barrel performers (the ones who didn't even bother head over to the community college until some years have passed) ended up being either cops or school teachers. Judging by what I see on their profiles on Facebook, a good number of them struggle to form a correct English sentence most of the time.
There's an ancient Chinese saying - "A good son does not become a cop/soldier."
The problem is that the Ford Focus sells for (starting at) nearly $30,000 USD in Europe. That's why Ford can afford to put in extra quality into the European Focus - I've driven one before and they're very nice.
No American would buy one at that price. They'd expect almost an entry-level luxury car (i.e. BMW 3-series) at that price range. In America, the Ford Focus sells for around $15,000. The barebones model with manual, roll-up windows, no power locks, etc. will be under $12,000.
When English is transliterated into Mandarin, the double LL's as part of an English word often become the "er" sound in Mandarin, thus the confusion.
Also, Mandarin speakers in the northern parts of China tend to slur their speech with more "err"'s at the end of a word, whereas a southerner would not do that so much.
Take the word "wan", for example: (it means "play")
In Beijing, you would hear it pronounced "waer" (sounds like "war") In Shanghai or Taiwan, you would most likely hear it pronounced "wan".
I've driven in a number of different countries, and every time I come back to the US (and Canada to an extent), I can't help but think of the term "manifest destiny" when I see the huge, leaden Chevy Tahoe driving at speed limit on the left lane of the freeway like they owned the road. The culture of individualism in America stems from Manifest Destiny and in turns magnifies this thinking.
Home Return Permit is required for entry into China for Hong Kong citizens. It must be applied and paid for like a visa. It may or may not be granted, whether the individual has Hong Kong ID Card or not, at the discretion of the Chinese authorities.
It's basically a visa but in name. Even if you don't like the term "visa", that doesn't change the fact that a person from Hong Kong still has to apply for permission to go to China. Pro-democracy activists and politicians from Hong Kong have been known to have been denied Home Return Permits.
The only thing keeping Taiwan from getting the Hong Kong treatment itself is the US' insistence, backed with a carrier group or two and considerable military assistance to Taiwan
It's not quite that simple. More likely, the deterrent is economic. Taiwan and the mainland are basically in bed with each other economically - they are one of the top trading partners of each other. An estimated 2-3 million Taiwanese citizens (roughly 5-10% of the population) regularly commute or live as alien residents in Shanghai for work.
This was true...10-15 years ago. While Shenzhen just across the border isn't quite as glitzy as Hong Kong, it's a high-rise-filled metropolis of 10 million residents. The East Berlin comparison no longer applies.
Things certainly get done much more quickly without pesky voters and NIMBYism.
After winning the Olympics bid in 2001, Beijing built almost 100km worth of subway lines before the games started in 2008. This is not possible in much of the West.
In Seattle, it is scheduled to take 20 years to build 30 miles of above-ground light rail. It will probably end up being only 10 miles by the time it's finished.
My friend owns a business that caters breakfast foods (muffins, bagels, etc.) to about 100 businesses every day. His food is usually placed in several public areas in a company, and money is taken in a box based on an honor system.
Without exception to any company, the food placed in the areas frequented by the high executives will always be short-changed. This almost never happens with the "lower-end" employees.
Of course, this is strictly anecdotal, so take from it what you will.
Neither party is interested in fixing health care, because it's not "broken." It's making billions in profits every year for the health insurance and pharmaceutical industries.
I personally know doctors and pharmacists who get taken out to dinners at the top restaurants in the city every single weekend by just one drug company - they say people eat and drink $250 easily, since there are "no restrictions." They have very deep pockets and will not stand and let the government take over health care - UNLESS it's to funnel government funds directly to their coffers.
There was never any plan to "socialize" health care. It's just your average everyday corporate looting in progress.
Intellectual counterpoint, Asians. From peasant to Dr/lawyer/engineer/dentist in one generation is basically normal, for them, for cultural reasons.
For every one of these people, I can find you 20 other Asians who are just quite average American kids.
I suspect, now that we're in the Great Recession, my kids generation will be another generation like my grandparents.
I grew up around several households with old people who've lived through the Great Depression. Their stories about running out of food did not end with them going to the soup kitchen, but rather catching squirrels, frying them, and scooping their brains with spoons right at the dinner table. I thought they were just messing with my head until I heard these stories corroborated on a PBS special. Until Americans are scooping squirrel brains for dinner in 2010, I'm not sure this young generation will be quite at the level of the people who lived through the Great Depression.
And I'm sure you already know, but United has the "Economy Plus" seats which have 5"-6" more legroom for $50 more. Doesn't sound like much on paper, but it's pretty nice to have.
Boeing didn't leave because of the B&O tax. B&O tax only provides a disadvantage to money-losing companies. In fact, large companies that make money (like Boeing) often favor states with B&O taxes instead of ones with income tax, as it lessens their overall tax liability. Boeing paid 3.25% in US taxes in recent years, compared to the average corp rate of 35%, so they weren't exactly hurting in the area of taxes.
Boeing really left to establish a presence outside of the Pacific Northwest. Previously, their exclusive concentration in the Seattle area leaves them vulnerable in the political arena. Now that they've spread out to several areas in the country, they've bought new support from a handful of senators in the South and in Illinois.
It's one of the main reasons why Japanese/Korean car manufacturers went to the South for factories. Aside from cheap labor, you'll gain unlikely allies like Trent Lott, who will hold the hands of the Nissan executive while smiling and proclaiming that the state will bend over backwards for your company.
I have a theory that both parties have a strong motivation to emphasize our differences and divide us (they have to, why would you vote for one if you can't see any difference between him and the other), but in reality there is more similarity between Americans than there are differences between liberals and conservatives.
That's the whole point. The elite classes have been playing their divide-and-conquer game on the peons throughout history. It explains why the guy who makes $12/hr assembling pumps really gets riled up and blood-boiling about increasing taxes by 0.5% on someone who makes over $500,000.
While people fight over the small potatoes in everyday politics and economics, the big boys go for the big grab. (Warning 5-minute Flash-based video)
I'm 30 years old and just watched all 6 for the first time (I've caught parts of Empire Strikes Back beforehand) 2 weeks ago, and I liked them all for what they are - mostly summer blockbuster-ish entertainment. I watched only the Special Edition versions (don't kill me). I wasn't bored through any of it.
I have over 1000 DVDs in my collection - though a lot of it film snob stuff (think stuff from the Criterion Collection). So this may have influenced my viewing of the SW films - I constantly thought about Mifune in the Hidden Fortress as I watched Ep 4, for example. Or that I really enjoyed the gravitas towards the last half of Ep 3.
As for my sci-fi viewing credentials, I've seen films like 2001, Alien, Terminator, Back to the Future countless times, so I really am not biased against sci fi.
Oh did I mention I've never seen Blade Runner before?
I'm a 30-year-old who just watched all 6 for the first time 2 weeks ago (All of them the Special Editions. Don't kill me). I watched them in the 4-5-6-1-2-3 order.
I've previously caught parts of Empire Strikes Back before when I was much younger, and I remember being really really impressed by the Imperial Walkers battle. This time around, not so much.
I really thought dug the ominous and grave tone of Ep 3. But in both Ep II & III, Hayden Christensen must have thought he was a date rape suspect in an episode of Law & Order. Although he was magnificent for most of Ep III.
So like you said - he's tailoring for a more "modern" audience.
I'd be interested to see them too. I've spent my childhood around a good number of homeschooled kids, as well as teaching and mentoring them for several years as a music instructor. Saying that a good majority of them can socialize with the "real world" without issues is a very questionable stance. There are plenty who "turn out OK" as adults, but it's usually by going through some pretty big culture shock in college or by turning their backs completely to their religion.
From reading the comments in this story, it's really eye-opening why this happens. Homeschooling parents are proud that their 7-year-olds can converse in current events and the economy with adults. Extrapolate that life experience to their early 20s - how are they expected to fit in with the Idiocracy "real world" out there? Yes - it is pandering to the lowest denominator, but guess what - you have to work and live with these people as your peers, friends, and coworkers. They will see from a mile away that you're just plain awkward. I've met this 22-year-old who was given nothing but music and literature to study as a child, because studying other stuff would be "a waste of time" if her talents and interests lie elsewhere. At 22, she plays with homemade dolls and writes stories about her dolls online when she's not playing the viola. She'll most likely have to exclusively socialize within her homeschooling circles. Yes - I realize that this is not the "typical" homeschooling experience, but I've seen enough of these kids that I believe there are many more of them like her out there.
Also, around 10%-20% of the public high school senior class are new students coming in from their former homeschooling curricula. If homeschooling does not contribute negatively to the socialization aspect of a child's growth, why do all these parents feel the need to send their kids to public schools for the last two years of K-12? Their parents recognized this area of deficiency in homeschooling, I was told by these kids. Maybe that's the way to go - it may be a good mix of academic and social development. But many of these kids fell into 2 categories - either they vocally looked down on others with their superior intellect (real or imagined), or they sat quietly by themselves or other homeschooled kids.
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In my high school, the people who were the bottom barrel performers (the ones who didn't even bother head over to the community college until some years have passed) ended up being either cops or school teachers. Judging by what I see on their profiles on Facebook, a good number of them struggle to form a correct English sentence most of the time.
There's an ancient Chinese saying - "A good son does not become a cop/soldier."
The problem is that the Ford Focus sells for (starting at) nearly $30,000 USD in Europe. That's why Ford can afford to put in extra quality into the European Focus - I've driven one before and they're very nice.
No American would buy one at that price. They'd expect almost an entry-level luxury car (i.e. BMW 3-series) at that price range. In America, the Ford Focus sells for around $15,000. The barebones model with manual, roll-up windows, no power locks, etc. will be under $12,000.
The 2008 Honda Accord coupe has more horsepower than a early 90s Porsche 911.
Being on the Microsoft Bob team worked out pretty well for project manager Melinda French.
When English is transliterated into Mandarin, the double LL's as part of an English word often become the "er" sound in Mandarin, thus the confusion.
Also, Mandarin speakers in the northern parts of China tend to slur their speech with more "err"'s at the end of a word, whereas a southerner would not do that so much.
Take the word "wan", for example: (it means "play")
In Beijing, you would hear it pronounced "waer" (sounds like "war")
In Shanghai or Taiwan, you would most likely hear it pronounced "wan".
I've driven in a number of different countries, and every time I come back to the US (and Canada to an extent), I can't help but think of the term "manifest destiny" when I see the huge, leaden Chevy Tahoe driving at speed limit on the left lane of the freeway like they owned the road. The culture of individualism in America stems from Manifest Destiny and in turns magnifies this thinking.
Home Return Permit is required for entry into China for Hong Kong citizens. It must be applied and paid for like a visa. It may or may not be granted, whether the individual has Hong Kong ID Card or not, at the discretion of the Chinese authorities.
It's basically a visa but in name. Even if you don't like the term "visa", that doesn't change the fact that a person from Hong Kong still has to apply for permission to go to China. Pro-democracy activists and politicians from Hong Kong have been known to have been denied Home Return Permits.
The only thing keeping Taiwan from getting the Hong Kong treatment itself is the US' insistence, backed with a carrier group or two and considerable military assistance to Taiwan
It's not quite that simple. More likely, the deterrent is economic. Taiwan and the mainland are basically in bed with each other economically - they are one of the top trading partners of each other. An estimated 2-3 million Taiwanese citizens (roughly 5-10% of the population) regularly commute or live as alien residents in Shanghai for work.
This was true...10-15 years ago. While Shenzhen just across the border isn't quite as glitzy as Hong Kong, it's a high-rise-filled metropolis of 10 million residents. The East Berlin comparison no longer applies.
People from Hong Kong need a visa to visit China too.
Things certainly get done much more quickly without pesky voters and NIMBYism.
After winning the Olympics bid in 2001, Beijing built almost 100km worth of subway lines before the games started in 2008. This is not possible in much of the West.
In Seattle, it is scheduled to take 20 years to build 30 miles of above-ground light rail. It will probably end up being only 10 miles by the time it's finished.
My friend owns a business that caters breakfast foods (muffins, bagels, etc.) to about 100 businesses every day. His food is usually placed in several public areas in a company, and money is taken in a box based on an honor system.
Without exception to any company, the food placed in the areas frequented by the high executives will always be short-changed. This almost never happens with the "lower-end" employees.
Of course, this is strictly anecdotal, so take from it what you will.
They probably count OSes like Windows CE or Linux in there (for cars that run it). It is executable code, after all.
Here comes DO-178B for cars.
I wonder what the cost is per line of code?
Neither party is interested in fixing health care, because it's not "broken." It's making billions in profits every year for the health insurance and pharmaceutical industries.
I personally know doctors and pharmacists who get taken out to dinners at the top restaurants in the city every single weekend by just one drug company - they say people eat and drink $250 easily, since there are "no restrictions." They have very deep pockets and will not stand and let the government take over health care - UNLESS it's to funnel government funds directly to their coffers.
There was never any plan to "socialize" health care. It's just your average everyday corporate looting in progress.
Don't know about the UK, but France takes 5.25% of your paycheck for their highly-regarded national plan.
Identical resumes with "white" and "black" sounding names are treated very differently.
Intellectual counterpoint, Asians. From peasant to Dr/lawyer/engineer/dentist in one generation is basically normal, for them, for cultural reasons.
For every one of these people, I can find you 20 other Asians who are just quite average American kids.
I suspect, now that we're in the Great Recession, my kids generation will be another generation like my grandparents.
I grew up around several households with old people who've lived through the Great Depression. Their stories about running out of food did not end with them going to the soup kitchen, but rather catching squirrels, frying them, and scooping their brains with spoons right at the dinner table. I thought they were just messing with my head until I heard these stories corroborated on a PBS special. Until Americans are scooping squirrel brains for dinner in 2010, I'm not sure this young generation will be quite at the level of the people who lived through the Great Depression.
And I'm sure you already know, but United has the "Economy Plus" seats which have 5"-6" more legroom for $50 more. Doesn't sound like much on paper, but it's pretty nice to have.
Boeing didn't leave because of the B&O tax. B&O tax only provides a disadvantage to money-losing companies. In fact, large companies that make money (like Boeing) often favor states with B&O taxes instead of ones with income tax, as it lessens their overall tax liability. Boeing paid 3.25% in US taxes in recent years, compared to the average corp rate of 35%, so they weren't exactly hurting in the area of taxes.
Boeing really left to establish a presence outside of the Pacific Northwest. Previously, their exclusive concentration in the Seattle area leaves them vulnerable in the political arena. Now that they've spread out to several areas in the country, they've bought new support from a handful of senators in the South and in Illinois.
It's one of the main reasons why Japanese/Korean car manufacturers went to the South for factories. Aside from cheap labor, you'll gain unlikely allies like Trent Lott, who will hold the hands of the Nissan executive while smiling and proclaiming that the state will bend over backwards for your company.
I have a theory that both parties have a strong motivation to emphasize our differences and divide us (they have to, why would you vote for one if you can't see any difference between him and the other), but in reality there is more similarity between Americans than there are differences between liberals and conservatives.
That's the whole point. The elite classes have been playing their divide-and-conquer game on the peons throughout history. It explains why the guy who makes $12/hr assembling pumps really gets riled up and blood-boiling about increasing taxes by 0.5% on someone who makes over $500,000.
While people fight over the small potatoes in everyday politics and economics, the big boys go for the big grab. (Warning 5-minute Flash-based video)
I'm 30 years old and just watched all 6 for the first time (I've caught parts of Empire Strikes Back beforehand) 2 weeks ago, and I liked them all for what they are - mostly summer blockbuster-ish entertainment. I watched only the Special Edition versions (don't kill me). I wasn't bored through any of it.
I have over 1000 DVDs in my collection - though a lot of it film snob stuff (think stuff from the Criterion Collection). So this may have influenced my viewing of the SW films - I constantly thought about Mifune in the Hidden Fortress as I watched Ep 4, for example. Or that I really enjoyed the gravitas towards the last half of Ep 3.
As for my sci-fi viewing credentials, I've seen films like 2001, Alien, Terminator, Back to the Future countless times, so I really am not biased against sci fi.
Oh did I mention I've never seen Blade Runner before?
I think you hit the nail on the head.
I'm a 30-year-old who just watched all 6 for the first time 2 weeks ago (All of them the Special Editions. Don't kill me). I watched them in the 4-5-6-1-2-3 order.
I've previously caught parts of Empire Strikes Back before when I was much younger, and I remember being really really impressed by the Imperial Walkers battle. This time around, not so much.
I really thought dug the ominous and grave tone of Ep 3. But in both Ep II & III, Hayden Christensen must have thought he was a date rape suspect in an episode of Law & Order. Although he was magnificent for most of Ep III.
So like you said - he's tailoring for a more "modern" audience.
Whoops. I meant "10%-20% of my public high school senior class".
I'd be interested to see them too. I've spent my childhood around a good number of homeschooled kids, as well as teaching and mentoring them for several years as a music instructor. Saying that a good majority of them can socialize with the "real world" without issues is a very questionable stance. There are plenty who "turn out OK" as adults, but it's usually by going through some pretty big culture shock in college or by turning their backs completely to their religion.
From reading the comments in this story, it's really eye-opening why this happens. Homeschooling parents are proud that their 7-year-olds can converse in current events and the economy with adults. Extrapolate that life experience to their early 20s - how are they expected to fit in with the Idiocracy "real world" out there? Yes - it is pandering to the lowest denominator, but guess what - you have to work and live with these people as your peers, friends, and coworkers. They will see from a mile away that you're just plain awkward. I've met this 22-year-old who was given nothing but music and literature to study as a child, because studying other stuff would be "a waste of time" if her talents and interests lie elsewhere. At 22, she plays with homemade dolls and writes stories about her dolls online when she's not playing the viola. She'll most likely have to exclusively socialize within her homeschooling circles. Yes - I realize that this is not the "typical" homeschooling experience, but I've seen enough of these kids that I believe there are many more of them like her out there.
Also, around 10%-20% of the public high school senior class are new students coming in from their former homeschooling curricula. If homeschooling does not contribute negatively to the socialization aspect of a child's growth, why do all these parents feel the need to send their kids to public schools for the last two years of K-12? Their parents recognized this area of deficiency in homeschooling, I was told by these kids. Maybe that's the way to go - it may be a good mix of academic and social development. But many of these kids fell into 2 categories - either they vocally looked down on others with their superior intellect (real or imagined), or they sat quietly by themselves or other homeschooled kids.