This morning I took the car to get the oil changed and while I was waiting I picked up yesterday’s newspaper. A couple -three articles caught my eye.
The first one was really cool. I can say now that I know a hero! Michael Brooks played baseball for Bruce in Little League, a really nice kid. He and a friend saved a man from being burned to death after his car collided with a tree.
The second one was a “Letter to the editor”. Jeanne Johnson congratulated the state police for giving a man a citation for driving while unable to speak English! It struck me SO funny! How did this man get his driver’s license let alone a CDL! Are they giving those tests in Spanish too these days?
Things have sure changed from when I first came here. I understand about accommodating to help meet people’s needs but when people decide to stay somewhere where people don’t speak their maternal language, it is their responsibility to learn to speak it not the other way around. I don’t think our state police is prejudiced but this reaction was totally unexpected…
I just finished polishing the translation of a 1854 letter for Belgian Laces and wonder how different things might have been if this is how things had been done back then.
This particular group of emigrants – the Belgians from Wisconsin - is unique in itself in that they managed to preserve the language (Walloon) they spoke for a long time.
It is just now dying and there are efforts made by the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay http://www.uwgb.edu/library/spc/local/belgian_oral.asp
and http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/WI/subcollections/BelgAmrColAbout.html
to preserve as much of it as humanly possible. So the comparison is a close one.
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/99999999/GPG0101/709240469/1978
(another good comparison)
They helped each other and worked with each other but there was no special treatment for them. If they were to mingle with the English, they had to either learn or find a translator to help them understand English not the other way around. I’m sure its’ the same way for everyone who emigrates so I was really taken back by this letter to the editor… Can’t imagine people having to be told to learn the language of the country where they move to. That’s surreal… I believe in preserving heritage and language but there is also such a thing as adapting. The melting pot should still melt...
The last article to catch my eye was Dr Gott’s column. I still chuckle as I think about it now… Back when I worked at Busta’s Bakery. Jim Busta, our boss, the baker,- and a good one at that! - had read something in the paper that day that an average person farted about 12 times a day. Ensued an hilarious conversation in the back of the bakery over this topic of course!
I must admit my kids are “well above average” in this department and this has also occasioned some memorable moments that found us rolling on the floor, from more than just laughter… To make a long story short, this is why I started to read Dr Gott’s column this morning: someone was writing to find out what he could do about his own gaseous problem.
Dr Gott’s advice had to remain very generalized as no personal details were given… He mentioned the expected: “avoid beans” of course… as well as a variety of other foods well known for their effect: broccoli, cauliflower, soda,…
The problem with our family is that odd things give us gas too, like oranges, chestnuts, so we have just learned to live with it. At times it’s obviously more difficult than others but what can we do, stop eating? Actually he did say one thing I think we could try… he mentioned that diluting baking soda into a glass of water could help, otherwise
He also mentioned aging as one of the causes for increased gas. I can vouch for that… I sometimes remind myself of that little old lady on tv, walking down the streets tooting away with every step she took… Luckily I don’t leave nauseous smells all the time.
Well enough for now… just wanted to share some thoughts outloud… Hope I didn't gross out anyone... (=
The first one was really cool. I can say now that I know a hero! Michael Brooks played baseball for Bruce in Little League, a really nice kid. He and a friend saved a man from being burned to death after his car collided with a tree.
The second one was a “Letter to the editor”. Jeanne Johnson congratulated the state police for giving a man a citation for driving while unable to speak English! It struck me SO funny! How did this man get his driver’s license let alone a CDL! Are they giving those tests in Spanish too these days?
Things have sure changed from when I first came here. I understand about accommodating to help meet people’s needs but when people decide to stay somewhere where people don’t speak their maternal language, it is their responsibility to learn to speak it not the other way around. I don’t think our state police is prejudiced but this reaction was totally unexpected…
I just finished polishing the translation of a 1854 letter for Belgian Laces and wonder how different things might have been if this is how things had been done back then.
This particular group of emigrants – the Belgians from Wisconsin - is unique in itself in that they managed to preserve the language (Walloon) they spoke for a long time.
It is just now dying and there are efforts made by the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay http://www.uwgb.edu/library/spc/local/belgian_oral.asp
and http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/WI/subcollections/BelgAmrColAbout.html
to preserve as much of it as humanly possible. So the comparison is a close one.
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/99999999/GPG0101/709240469/1978
(another good comparison)
They helped each other and worked with each other but there was no special treatment for them. If they were to mingle with the English, they had to either learn or find a translator to help them understand English not the other way around. I’m sure its’ the same way for everyone who emigrates so I was really taken back by this letter to the editor… Can’t imagine people having to be told to learn the language of the country where they move to. That’s surreal… I believe in preserving heritage and language but there is also such a thing as adapting. The melting pot should still melt...
The last article to catch my eye was Dr Gott’s column. I still chuckle as I think about it now… Back when I worked at Busta’s Bakery. Jim Busta, our boss, the baker,- and a good one at that! - had read something in the paper that day that an average person farted about 12 times a day. Ensued an hilarious conversation in the back of the bakery over this topic of course!
I must admit my kids are “well above average” in this department and this has also occasioned some memorable moments that found us rolling on the floor, from more than just laughter… To make a long story short, this is why I started to read Dr Gott’s column this morning: someone was writing to find out what he could do about his own gaseous problem.
Dr Gott’s advice had to remain very generalized as no personal details were given… He mentioned the expected: “avoid beans” of course… as well as a variety of other foods well known for their effect: broccoli, cauliflower, soda,…
The problem with our family is that odd things give us gas too, like oranges, chestnuts, so we have just learned to live with it. At times it’s obviously more difficult than others but what can we do, stop eating? Actually he did say one thing I think we could try… he mentioned that diluting baking soda into a glass of water could help, otherwise
He also mentioned aging as one of the causes for increased gas. I can vouch for that… I sometimes remind myself of that little old lady on tv, walking down the streets tooting away with every step she took… Luckily I don’t leave nauseous smells all the time.
Well enough for now… just wanted to share some thoughts outloud… Hope I didn't gross out anyone... (=
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