h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

In responce to the point about standardized tests, yes, but governments prefer to have objective data for their descisions, whethere it is meaningful objective data or not. Anyway, when someon threatens to fire administrators if their schools don't improve the test scores, what do you think will be focused on? Anyway, it is pretty clear that a lot of US students do come out of high school without learning to read or do math as well as they ought to.

"The travel thing is definitely tied to economics." [and distances]

That's certainly a valid point when comparing the US with Europe. But Australians and New Zealanders travel widely, and not just to countries that are nearby. There's more too it than just economics and distance.

~*~I was in Bangkok visiting the Royal Palace. Anyone who's done any kind of reading or research would know that you can't go in wearing short trousers, and that even short sleaves are frowned upon.~*~

How come?

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~*~TV-addicted--noone reads if they can just watch it or see it online.~*~

I read all the time! Admittedly though, most people I know don't.

~*~know/care very little about the technology in their daily lives.~*~

Again, that doesn't ~seem~ to apply to me. Unless it's cars, I know nothing of cars.

~*~know/care little about the world: couldn't find most European nations on a map of Europe, some couldn't find Europe on a map of the world.~*~

Once more this isn't entirely true of me. I could easily find almost any country that isn't in Central or South America, though I really don't care much about current events in them.

~*~Get their news from late-night comedy shows.~*~

I'm not even allowed to watch those. *sob*

~*~Vote on party lines a lot.~*~

I don't even know what that is.

~*~Everyone has a cellphone.~*~

I despise Cellphones in all their forms. Everybody ~else~ has a Cellphone.

~*~Rarely check their e-mail regularly.~*~

I check it every day.

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~*~The fact that Americans often know nothing about the rest of the world can be blamed on our horrid public school systems.~*~

~*~And, since our schools don't really try to teach languages, most Americans would only be able to go to countries where English is spoken predominantly, becuase, even if they do learn a second language in school, they probably didn't learn that much of it.~*~

~*~Music programs have been cut in a lot of places. One school I attended didn't officially have band/orchestra. The English teacher let it be known that anyone who wanted to could be in an informal school band if they were willing to give up lunch hour.~*~

Since I already seem to be the exception to the rule in everything else...

Maybe it's just Utah, specifically, but Provo High offers 6 Foreign Languages and requires that you take at least one of them for a full year. In addition there are 13 Music-Related classes, although none of those Credits are required (I think).

Two things I really don't like about my "brethren" is their Arrogance toward everything and Bigotry toward Gay/Lesbians.

>>

~*~I was in Bangkok visiting the Royal Palace. Anyone who's done any kind of reading or research would know that you can't go in wearing short trousers, and that even short sleaves are frowned upon.~*~

How come?

<<

I think you are demonstrating the original posters' point there, Mr X! Now go do some research and find out why.

RF

absoloutely RF

>>>I was in Bangkok visiting the Royal Palace. Anyone who's done any kind of reading or research would know that you can't go in wearing short trousers, and that even short sleaves are frowned upon.

>>How come?

>I think you are demonstrating the original posters' point there, Mr X! Now go do some research and find out why.

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That's a bit harsh . There's no reason to know unless you've been or you're going. It's because it is considered immodest and disrespectful in temples and imperial sites. Thai culture (and that of most countries in that region) generally frowns on the public display of bare flesh, and in particular in holy sites.

Although the Thai people are very tolerant and forgiving of ignorant foriegners (particularly wealthy tourists), it's very easy to commit a faux pas if you haven't done your homework (e.g. touching anyone on the head, showing anyone the soles of your feet, women touching a monk or handing anything to him directly, sliding documents across counters rather than handing them over directly, not taking your shoes off, showing anger or frustration).

I'm not saying that *all* Americans neglected to do their homework and that *all* Europeans did, but there were very obvious differences in preparation levels for what is a *very* different culture.

Actually, the British package tourist abroad is enough to send anyone off the cringe scale

I seem to remember a Python sketch along those lines...

Ok... we have hit on a "soap box" issue for me... Two people so far, Emee in OK and Mr. X in Utah have given examples of their high school's language departments. My school was similar. Language classes are offered in HIGH SCHOOL. THAT IS THE PROBLEM with language education in most school systems here in the states. My school for example only taught second language classes starting in the eighth year. THAT'S TOO LATE.

A child's latent ability to learn languages begins to decline around the age of 12 if they stop learning new languages. When you were a small child you didn't need to study English, you absorbed it. Of course you were emersed in English, which is the best method to learn any language, but you were never given a chance through your schools to learn a second language until well after the age of 12. If a child learns at least two languages before 12, that latent ability continues much longer. As long as one keeps learning new languages they CAN keep learning new languages.

I'm not saying adults can't learn new languages of course, just that it is MUCH more difficult and requires much more learning by rote, of which I've never been a fan.

Neurolinguists believe that certain connections in the brain's language center begin to degrade or atrophy after early childhood if not used. I definitely feel this is true. I myself took three years of Spanish starting in 9th grade and I'm lucky if I can order from a menu in a Mexican restaurant or if I can catch every 5th word in a Tejano song.

In many European countries, second languages are required (as I understand it) by much earlier ages. I personally have met several Europeans that thought nothing of speaking six or more languages, but we in the states are impressed with someone who can speak two!

Could it be that, because of our education systems, we are LUCKY to learn two?

Oh yea...



Rant mode over.

I was very fortunate. When my parents were in college (I was birth-2yrs old), my dad practiced his Greek & Hebrew on me & mom practiced her German. I can still pick up languages fairly easily. Add the study of how to break down a language into it's parts to that and I didn't have trouble picking up enough Korean to get around Seoul by myself when I was there.

CZ is absolutely right about language acquisition. Even past the age of 12 immersion is the best learning method. There was a study done in France a while ago (don't remember the program I saw it on) that monitored language acquisition in children born to couples in which one partner was speaking and one was deaf. The baby started to 'babble' in both French and sign language at about the same time. Fascinating stuff.

PS - In the school where I studied Spanish, our Friday lesson times were spent at the elementary school teaching basic vocabulary to to K-3rd graders (5-10 yrs old). The teacher knew that language acquisition ability shut down early and talked the elementary principal into letting us teach. Gave us an opportunity to practice and got the kids interested in languages. Ended up teaching 3 of my brothers. The 4th was also part of a similar program with French, but at a different school.

Education system is certainly to blame at least in part, as are parents for not demanding more of their schools. No easy solutions though, with all of the unfunded mandates that have come from the current administration.

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Ok.. take this and put it at the beginning of that post.

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" tag points to missing tag"

I'll do better with my tags next time.

Sorry, I just couldn't resist. And when another one showed up before I had the first posted, I had to react to that, too.

OK guys, as the moderator here, or anyway, as the student in need, I'd like to pose another question to the general populace:
where are you from, and
Where have you been?

Just mention your location: ie: New Zealand,
And places you've travelled: ie: Germany, France, Siberia, and Guatemala.
(PS: I'm an American, and I can locate ALL those places, plus some!)

Thanks.

c'mon folks! the essay is due in two days!
How many Europeans have travelled to America, and where do people from New Zealand travel to?

Hi from an American who has traveled to a few other parts of our world
Sadly some Americans do belive they have no reason to leave or see
any other place but this country.Also sadly most Americans don't
bother to learn about the rest of the world.
Funny thing whenever I would tell somebody about a trip I was going
to go on they almost always say "Oh I didn't know your from...."
I'd say I'm not from... and next I hear "then why go???" .
One problem here is most Americans don't watch or read the news.
We have access to more news then I've seen in any other country.
24hour world news and local news.
I was in Israel a few years ago when a protest strike was called
by Muslim groups shutting down most of the businesses.
When we asked our tour guide what was going on,he told us that
we know nothing because the American media and our goverment
tells us nothing about what realy goes on in Israel or tells the
Muslim side of things.We pointed out that we didn't know what
was going on that day because his media didn't report it.
Consevatives say our media is to liberal.Liberals say it's to
consevative.Newsman Sam Donoldson said guess that means we are
pretty balanced after all
We Americans do need to learn more about the world but I hope
the world will also learn bout us

Opinions AND where I have been? Ok, starting with where I have been (I am from the UK to start with)
France - Belgium - Italy - Germany - Spain - Majorca - Minorca - Austria - Switzerland - Sweden - Holland - Ireland - Kenya - South Africa - Swaziland - Seychelles - Sri Lanka - Singapore - Malaysia - Thailand - Australia - New Zealand - Hong Kong (before the takeover) - China - Hawaii - Japan - Canada - Mexico - USA (60 odd visits)- Barbados - Antigua (Got married there)- Anguila (Honeymoon here)- St Lucia. Have racked up 950,000 miles in the air and it is my ambition to break the 1,000,000 barrier, so I have away to go yet!

Americans? Where do I start. Well, look at their TV news - it is ALL local/US issues with about 30 seconds for world news. When you have issues like the Palestinian conflict or the war in Bosnia, the vast majority of Americans have no idea it is going on. The US government alledge to hate terrorism, but did nothing while the UK mainland was repeatedly bombed by the IRA - in fact, they allowed fund raising to continue by IRA sympathisers. The repeated stand with Israel, while the Israelis bomb and shoot Palestinians and despite the World Court AND the United Nations decisions against Israel.
One thing that really annoys me is the way they stand up and pretend to be the Worlds policemen, with decent god fearing values but conveniently forget the genocide of the Native Americans that they pursued. They made speaking the native tongue illegal, forced abortions and signed treaties that they never had any intention on living up to.
They jailed an American Indian activist with no real evidence for his involvement in Wounded Knee, and he contiunes to rot behind bars.
All this - and they still pretend to be whiter than white.
They are insular and I believe that only something like 12% of them posess passports - so the vast majority never travel to experience other cultures.
I have met some really nice americans and am generally struck by their apparent warmth, but I do find that while they can appear freindly, there is no depth to them when you probe beneath the surface.
I work in an industry that is affected by their paranoia after 9/11 - they insist on collecting huge amounts of personal data for travellers to the country and insist that airlines provide this - or their aircraft will be turned back. This is costing the aviation industry MILLIONS worldwide, while US airlines are allowed to hide behind chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
The other thing that really bugs me is the "Tipping" culture. I once went into a restaurant in Santa Monica, and did leave a tip that I thought rewarded the service given. I was actually chased out of the retaurant by the waiter who insisted that I had to give 15%. When I refused, I got a foul mouthed tirade about how "All you brits are so f*cking tight". This was not the only occasion it has happened to me and even when the service really is appaling, they always expect a large tip. I really dont care that this forms part of their wage packet - I will only tip if I think the person has been gracious and has done their job well.
Their ingrained gun culture scares me witless when you can walk by shops in LA selling automatic assault rifles and Uzi machine guns - why on earth would you need one of those?
On the positive side they have given the world great technical advancements, pop culture and the country itself is glorious to see.
They really confuse me and I think I have a love/hate relationship with the US as a whole. I just wish they would grow up and take real responsibility as the only superpower we have at the moment. Why did it have to take 9/11 for them to finally get involved with terrorism for example?

Anyway - I think that is enough for now! Good luck with your project.