There seems to be much wrong with your depiction of the Crowhurst story. A cursory sampling of other sources online (including Wikipedia) offers many conflicting details, not the least being Crowhurst's motivations throughout, and that Tetley did NOT die during the race; Wikipedia itself offers conflicting versions of his eventual death: one involving a later suicide by hanging, and another noting that he was found hanging with his hands tied behind his back...dressed in lingerie! At the least, I would say that a nod to these conflicting versions was in order for this article. Wouldn't you???
People may have "sung it proudly" in the commercial, but we don't live in the world of the commercial. As I stated in my response to Daniel: "Voices that mingle" may be a beautiful thing (perhaps metaphorically), but the result will hardly be comprehensible. That is my point: E Pluribus Unum. "Out of many, ONE." The peoples of a nation must be able to understand what they are saying. Have you considered the possibility that a common language actually PROMOTES mutual understanding? There are many in America today who put their ethnic identities FIRST, who put their language and culture FIRST, dismissing the pull to assimilate (even minimally!) as racism or perhaps something even worse.
Daniel "Voices that mingle" may be a beautiful thing (perhaps metaphorically), but the result will hardly be comprehensible. That is my point: E Pluribus Unum. "Out of many, ONE." The peoples of a nation must be able to understand what they are saying. Have you considered the possibility that a common language actually PROMOTES mutual understanding? There are many in America today who put their ethnic identities FIRST, who put their language and culture FIRST, dismissing the pull to assimilate (even minimally!) as racism or perhaps something even worse.
This commercial was a sad insult to those who believe that part of what makes America great (though maybe "made" is the more appropriate verb tense) are the commonalities (amongst them belief in liberty, equality, and hard work) UNDERNEATH their numerous and wild cultural differences. America has been called a melting pot; the idea has always been that while many choose to retain and celebrate their heritages (as, perhaps, they very well should), ultimately, by coming to America, they place a greater allegiance to the SINGLE place they now call home. A nation cannot thrive where half the people can't understand what the other half is saying (nor, for that matter, what the other half is celebrating at one moment, and complaining about the next).
I'm afraid the political divide is too great, though I truly applaud your effort to engage thoughtfully. As long as Liberty and Capitalism are regarded as the Enemy (and unfortunately, they are), and Big Government as "our friend," the masses will continue to swallow falsehoods such as (for instance) "A big infusion of stimulus funds the next year put the recovery back on track"---whether the stimulus took place during the Great Depression, or the final months of George W., or the first two years of the Obama administration.
Most economists agree that FDR's actions needlessly prolonged the Depression, and that his New Deal was the birth of the Modern Welfare State. That he is indeed "beloved and iconic" by many says less about the man himself, and more about the failure of public education.
Where's the diagram of a typical kettle whistle? As a civil and systems engineer, I wonder how the above explanation can possibly satisfy the layman. Please, dear Posters, don't post a graphic you don't understand yourself; and if you do happen to understand it, please be so kind as to translate your understanding into a graphic most people can grasp--in this case, an everyday teapot.
Right on, Scooter. But don't we already know which side of the political spectrum is snide and doesn't think twice about being snide---knowing full well that the mainstream media always has their backs?
If I read you correctly, you stated that the manager put in an all right-handed (batting) line-up to help his team "against the tough right-hander." But pitchers generally prefer to pitch to batters "of the same handedness" -- the batting average difference is often on the order of a hundred points. Did you misstate?
At the least, I would say that a nod to these conflicting versions was in order for this article. Wouldn't you???
"Voices that mingle" may be a beautiful thing (perhaps metaphorically), but the result will hardly be comprehensible. That is my point: E Pluribus Unum. "Out of many, ONE." The peoples of a nation must be able to understand what they are saying. Have you considered the possibility that a common language actually PROMOTES mutual understanding? There are many in America today who put their ethnic identities FIRST, who put their language and culture FIRST, dismissing the pull to assimilate (even minimally!) as racism or perhaps something even worse.
That he is indeed "beloved and iconic" by many says less about the man himself, and more about the failure of public education.
A little less cuddly now?
Did you misstate?