Bilingual education: good, bad or both

The AP is out with a story on Newt Gingrich calling bilingual education the education of a ghetto. I can understand his point, but I think that for many people learning English through their language works best, so it has a place. I agree that ballots should only be printed in English, because that's the language of the country. If you want to vote or do anything else with the government you should have to do it in English. But in order to be able to vote in English or do anything else in English you first have to learn English. So, while I agree that all kids should learn English primarily, we need to use the best possible method for getting the to learn the language - which more often than not is immersion.

ANNOUNCEMENT: April Fools Day Boycott

In protest of the myriad of lying stories posted about the internet every year on April 1 for April Fools Day, I will be posting NO stories tomorrow to Mod-Blog. Other Mod-Bloggers are welcome to do what they will with the day, but Nomad will be missing in action, unless some truly critical story comes up which is confirmed multiple places as true.

NIT Champs need a spell-checker

Sports Illustrated has up proof that going to college does not ensure competence. Click through to see that at the very least they should have hired an English Major for to check the t-shirts.

How can this possibly be real?

This article documents a very weird story told by a Japanese man. He claims to have buld a deep fryer on top of an acquarium full of fish. Since the oil and water don't mix, allegedly the fish are only harmed if they try to go above the water line. And spillover of food from the deep fryer can feed the fish.

I just can't help wondering how simple heat transfer doesn't eventually boil the water.

Circuit City to Employees: Excellence Gets You Fired

So, you take a cut rate job at an electronics store. You work hard to rise above your fellow salesmen. You provide far better service and make far more sales than your peers. You earn promotions, you earn raises, and you get more commissions than anyone else. You reach the top of the corporate ladder at the electronics store. What is your next reward? You get fired! Circuit City has decided to fire its 3,400 highest paid workers, in favor of cheaper workers. They do offer to rehire the expensive workers, but only after a 10 week cooling off period. And at significantly reduced wages.

I understand the need to reduce costs, but is firing your best and brightest really the way to do it? It was already painful to shop at Circuit City. Now, it will be even moreso, because the few competent employees will be out the door.

Gas prices rising

Gas prices rising
Originally uploaded by nomad7674.

Can someone tell Iran the West isn't stupid?

In a really weird turn of events, Tehran has released a letter allegedly from the female sailor taken hostage by the Iranian government. Thing is, the letter reads nothing like anything someone raised on the English language would have written. Much less a British soldier.

Is anyone else wondering if a coup has taken place within the Iranian hierarchy, and this was someone's attempt to distract the world from it?