arachne-digest Thursday, April 3 2003 Volume 01 : Number 2085
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 02 Apr 2003 01:02:07 -0500 From: "Samuel W. Heywood" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: Your recent Latin/Esperanto thesis . . . On Tue, 1 Apr 2003 11:18:15, Carl P. Nelson wrote regarding the English language: <snip> > It's a complex, irregular and confusing language, > sometimes even to native speakers, but its power and range are virtually > unchallenged. Oriental languages are to some extent inferential, German > is more precise, Spanish is more nearly regular, but English with all of > its flaws is still the most comprehensive. Whether this is the reason > for its invasive growth, or whether it owes more than I suppose to the > dominant position of the United States at this point in history, is not > easy to determine. But I do not see the trend slowing at any time soon. <snip> Many immigrants and visitors coming to the US from Spanish speaking countries tell me that English is a very difficult language to learn because, unlike their own native language, English words are not spelled as they are pronounced and because English has many more irregularities and exceptions to the rules than their own language. I agree with them on all the points they make on how difficult it is to learn Engish. I give them some advice on how to go about learning it and I tell them that their own language is a very easy one to learn. I know several people who are very fluent in Spanish and English and several other languages and they all tell me that English is among the most difficult languages to learn and that Spanish is among the easiest. I know a Korean immigrant who knew no language other than his own when he came to Washington DC and settled in a neighborhood where I used to live at the time. The neighborhood has many Hispanic residents. My new Korean neighbor told me that it was much easier for him to learn Spanish than to learn English. He told me that he was going to set about learning both languages with equal diligence because about half of the new friends he was making in the US speak Spanish and the other half speak English, and of all these new friends many speak both languages. I noted that his progress in learning Spanish seemed to be about four times as fast as his progress in learning English. He was very surprised to find that Spanish is so widely spoken in so many areas of the US. I believe that in a few decades Spanish will rival English as being the most widely spoken language throughout the world because the populations of the Spanish speaking countries are growing much more rapidly than the populations of the English speaking countries. All the best, Sam Heywood - -- This mail was written by user of The Arachne Browser: http://browser.arachne.cz/ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Apr 2003 08:58:19 +00 From: "Bastiaan Edelman, PA3FFZ" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Help wanted on primairy partition Hi List I have two HD's in my computer and as an experiment I tried to make an extra partition on HD1 (D:\). With "Partition Resizer" this was done. A second partition was created on HD1... but entry was denied to this partition. Well they say you first have to format the new partition so this has been done and now acces was gained to the new partition. But the new partition is a logical partition so no operating system can be installed there. How to make a primairy partition of the newly created logical one? I tried FDISK but that does not work... FDISK stated that there is already a primairy partition on HD1 and refuses to make another one. If I am well informed up to four primairy partitions are possible on a HD. Smart Boot Manager is installed and working fine.. the two HD's can be swapped if necessary. But how to make more than one primairy partition on a HD ??? Hope anyone of you has a smart idea about this. Regards, Bastiaan ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Apr 2003 03:50:22 -0500 From: "Samuel W. Heywood" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: (OT) Why not Latin instead of Esperanto? On Tue, 01 Apr 2003 15:19:41 -0500, Sam Ewalt wrote: > On Mon, 31 Mar 2003 12:00:18 -0500, Samuel W. Heywood wrote: >> I remember back in the late 1950's and early 1960's there was >> an international movement to adopt Esperanto as an international >> language. The proponents of the movement said that Esperanto > Esperanto was invented in 1871 by a Polish doctor for use as an > International second language. According to the Encyclopedia > Britannica it has around 100,000 speakers, is used by around > twenty professional orgainizations and over 100 periodicals. > Not bad. But not really sucessful. I didn't know that Esperanto had been around for so long. The only thing I knew about it was that it was an invented and contrived language and that there was a movement to attempt to make it popular back in the late 1950's. >> For use as an international language, why don't they consider adopting >> Latin instead of Esperanto? > Latin is of limited usefulness and hard to learn I'm told. English > is the de facto international language now and the second language > of choice around the world. If people want to communicate, do business > internationally, study the latest advances in science, medicine, > engineering, the arts, then they will learn English. Yes, it is somewhat hard to learn in my opinion insofar as the grammar is concerned, but the vocabulary is very easy for most speakers of English and also for speakers of many other European languages because so many of the words in those languages come down to us from Latin. I don't think its usefulness would be at all limited except when one would want to discuss or write about the things of modern technology for which no Latin terms exist. > People are doing that with great enthusiasm all over the world. > This certainly isn't because of any inherent virtue in the language > or in it's native speakers but because it's so useful and of obvious > economic benefit. Learning to master the speaking and writing of English will be of little economic benefit for those who lack skills and knowledge and experience in the highly lucrative vocations. An immigrant who is is a manual laborer is not likely to be able to get a higher paying job just because he learns to speak English. Employers for those kinds of jobs only care about how dependable the laborer is and they care about how well and how fast he can do the job. They don't care if he can't speak English because that is not what he is paid to do. Americans on the work crew who don't work as well as the immigrants will get fired. There is no shortage of hard working immigrant laborers to replace lazy American workers. English speaking shopkeepers and merchants in foreign countries are not very likely to benefit from my patronage. I have found that I can almost always get a better deal from a merchant who doesn't speak English. Most of my fellow Americans are aware of the fact that there are much better deals to be had in foreign countries by doing business with merchants who don't speak English. Unlike me, most of my fellow Americans who travel in foreign countries have much more money than I and they don't care about the price. What they care most about is the pleasure of being able to do business with a merchant who knows how to communicate very well with his American customers, even if they know that the English speaking merchants charge much higher prices for the Americans. Sam Heywood - -- This mail was written by user of The Arachne Browser: http://browser.arachne.cz/ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2003 13:02:50 -0800 From: "Ben Brown" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2919.6900 DM FROM: BEN BROWN 44 OXFORD STREET ILLOVO, SANDTON,JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA E-MAIL:[EMAIL PROTECTED] I am Mr Ben Brown, a farm owner in Zimbabwe. I have fifty farming site in Zimbabwe, twenty tractors with one hundred and twenty workers. Then the Zimbabwe ruling government of President Robert Mugabe ordered for the siezure of all the farming lands of the white own farmers, he also siezed all my lands because I am an opposition party to his government, his government is violating the human right in the southern region of Africa. So some of the farm owners where killed and their properties looted by the war veterans, so I being a black Zimbabwean I managed to move my tractors and sold them to the south African farmers. I sold all my properties and raised the sum of US $22,300,000.00. Then I deposited this money in the Security Company at Johannesburg South Africa in the safe box. I m residing temporary now in Johannesburg as a political assylum seeker because of the fear of Mugabe who are seeking to kill me. Because of the south African refugee law, I cannot deposit this money in the bank or invest the money here in south Africa, that's why I m seeking an oversea assistance who will help me transfer this money to his or her account to his country, both company or individual. I get your address through a diplomatic search for a reliable person. I will be very greatful if you will help me to transfer this money on your account or find a trust worthy person to transfer this money. I have planned a smooth free transaction here on my side because I get this money through my effort and my hard work, so I have noting to fear. The break down of this transaction were as follows (1) 70% of this money will be for me for an investment in your country. (2) 25% of this money will be for you for your assisting me to transfer it on your account to your country. (3) 5% of this money will be for any expensis made by you or anyother person during the transfering period. In regard of this request, if you are willing to help me, Kindly reply me immediately and include your private tel/fax numbers. Thanks and God bless Ben Brown. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2003 07:33:15 -0700 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: (OT) Why not Latin instead of Esperanto? On Wed, 02 Apr 2003 "Samuel W. Heywood" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > > Learning to master the speaking and writing of English will be of > little economic benefit for those who lack skills and knowledge and > experience in the highly lucrative vocations. The up-and-coming highly (actually, moderately) lucrative vocations are, more and more, including those with manual tasks. Further, all documents in America (work or otherwise) are always in English. Anyone (native born or immigrant) who doesn't have fluency in English is at a disadvantage in an environment where English is the norm. > An immigrant who is > is a manual laborer is not likely to be able to get a higher paying > job just because he learns to speak English. Employers for those kinds > of jobs only care about how dependable the laborer is and they care > about how well and how fast he can do the job. They don't care if he > can't speak English because that is not what he is paid to do. Incorrect on all counts. Immigrants learn English specifically because: - - they can get more money for the same (types of) job - - there are more jobs available to English speakers - - employers desire (and some require) direct communication with employees > English speaking shopkeepers and merchants in foreign countries are > not very likely to benefit from my patronage. Perhaps you are the exception. > I have found that I can almost always get a better > deal from a merchant who doesn't speak English. My experience is that I get the best deals when I'm able to make small talk and tell jokes in the midst of the battering. > Most of my fellow Americans are aware of the fact that > there are much better deals to be had in foreign countries > by doing business with merchants who don't speak English. Actually, the merchants who speak English are able to wheel-and-deal in (at least) two languages. Therefore, they typically have more expanded supply lines and better bargaining ability than their (non English speaking) peers. The result is an economic advantage and, thus, lower wholesale prices. They are, therefore, able to afford deeper discounts. > Unlike me, most of my fellow Americans who travel in > foreign countries have much more money than I and > they don't care about the price. What they care most > about is the pleasure of being able to do business with > a merchant who knows how to communicate very well > with his American customers, even if they know that > the English speaking merchants charge much higher > prices for the Americans. Our shopping styles are vastly different. I usually follow the English-only shoppers around until they buy something I want. Because they only speak English, I know exactly what deal they negotiated. Afterward, I greet the merchant in a few words from his language, make some small talk, and strike a better bargain. If, as you claim, those merchants charge excessive prices to the American shoppers, then they have a greater profit margin and are better able to give a better discount. What IS significant is knowing what prices the LOCAL (knowledgeable) people pay. That has nothing to do with a merchant's ability to communicate in English, but depends solely upon knowing the local economic environment. And (to make this dialog 'computer related'), if you find a way to help the 'little guys' in that local environment to be more computer competent, then they will reward that effort by helping you negotiate the local marketplace. So, advocating and helping others learn English will yield a direct, and positive, economic benefit to you. And you might learn a few local greetings in the process. Bob Dohse - - ________________________________________________________________ Sign Up for Juno Platinum Internet Access Today Only $9.95 per month! Visit www.juno.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Apr 2003 11:54:11 -0400 From: "L.D. Best" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: Help wanted on primairy partition Bastiaan, You need a separate type of program to have two "primary" partitions on a single HDD. Linux has this ability IIRC. _Partition_Magic_ comes with a separate program that does what's needed. _System_Commander_ also does this (I had a bad experience with it, but others like it). What those programs do is rewrite the MBR and provide an interface so you can make your selection of which "primary" partition you want. Before trying any of those programs, make a 'rescue' diskette so you can restore your MBR to original if something goes wrong [that's what saved me when I found out the hard way that System Commander had a bad diskette]. I'm pretty sure that you can find some programs to back-up your Master Boot Record (MBR) on simtel or other web places. There may also be some programs out there in free/shareware land that allow you to rewrite MBR for more than one primary partition. l.d. ==== On Wed, 02 Apr 2003 08:58:19 +00, Bastiaan Edelman, PA3FFZ wrote: > Hi List > I have two HD's in my computer and as an experiment I tried to make an > extra partition on HD1 (D:\). > With "Partition Resizer" this was done. A second partition was created > on HD1... but entry was denied to this partition. > Well they say you first have to format the new partition so this has > been done and now acces was gained to the new partition. > But the new partition is a logical partition so no operating system can > be installed there. > How to make a primairy partition of the newly created logical one? > I tried FDISK but that does not work... FDISK stated that there is > already a primairy partition on HD1 and refuses to make another one. > If I am well informed up to four primairy partitions are possible on a > HD. > Smart Boot Manager is installed and working fine.. the two HD's can be > swapped if necessary. > But how to make more than one primairy partition on a HD ??? > Hope anyone of you has a smart idea about this. > Regards, Bastiaan - -- Arachne V1.71;UE01, NON-COMMERCIAL copy, http://arachne.cz/ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2003 12:52:56 -0500 From: Roger Turk <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: Help wanted on primairy partition Bastiaan, As L.D. said, some people like Boot Magic (from PowerQuest) and others like System Commander (from V-Systems), but as long as any of them work properly, they should permit multiple operating systems on a HD. I believe that at one time I saw multi-os programs available on Simtel. Does your "Partition Resizer" or Smart Boot Manager permit you to hide or change the active partition? I think that this is one of the primary conditions for having multiple operating systems on your HD. You can have only one active primary partition at a time. I used System Commander on my laptop HD and had both Windoze and DOS partitions. I had a DR-DOS primary partition with drive C: and an extended DOS partition with logical drives D: thru K:. Windoze had only a primary partition with drive C:. What I didn't like was that Windoze could read from and write to the logical DR-DOS drives and put hidden/read only/system files on those drives. With the price of HD's coming down (I have purchased a 100GB HD for less than US$1 a GB), I have installed HD's on trays and put cradles in my desktop machines. Windoze is on its own HD and can muck it up all it wants without affecting my other OSes. HTH Roger Turk Tucson, Arizona L.D. and Bastiaan wrote: . > Bastiaan, . > You need a separate type of program to have two "primary" partitions on . > a single HDD. Linux has this ability IIRC. _Partition_Magic_ comes . > with a separate program that does what's needed. _System_Commander_ . > also does this (I had a bad experience with it, but others like it). . > What those programs do is rewrite the MBR and provide an interface so . > you can make your selection of which "primary" partition you want. . > Before trying any of those programs, make a 'rescue' diskette so you can . > restore your MBR to original if something goes wrong [that's what saved . > me when I found out the hard way that System Commander had a bad . > diskette]. . > I'm pretty sure that you can find some programs to back-up your Master . > Boot Record (MBR) on simtel or other web places. There may also be some . > programs out there in free/shareware land that allow you to rewrite MBR . > for more than one primary partition. . > l.d. . > ==== . > On Wed, 02 Apr 2003 08:58:19 +00, Bastiaan Edelman, PA3FFZ wrote: > Hi List > I have two HD's in my computer and as an experiment I tried to make an > extra partition on HD1 (D:\). > With "Partition Resizer" this was done. A second partition was created > on HD1... but entry was denied to this partition. > Well they say you first have to format the new partition so this has > been done and now acces was gained to the new partition. > But the new partition is a logical partition so no operating system can > be installed there. > How to make a primairy partition of the newly created logical one? > I tried FDISK but that does not work... FDISK stated that there is > already a primairy partition on HD1 and refuses to make another one. > If I am well informed up to four primairy partitions are possible on a > HD. > Smart Boot Manager is installed and working fine.. the two HD's can be > swapped if necessary. > But how to make more than one primairy partition on a HD ??? > Hope anyone of you has a smart idea about this. > Regards, Bastiaan ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2003 15:14:24 -0300 From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Fw: (OT) HOPE ? - ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Wednesday, April 02, 2003 11:33 AM Subject: Re: (OT) Why not Latin instead of Esperanto? > > On Wed, 02 Apr 2003 "Samuel W. Heywood" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > > > >They don't care if he > > can't speak English because that is not what he is paid to do. > Incorrect on all counts. That's it !. Immigrants learn English specifically because: > - they can get more money for the same (types of) job > - there are more jobs available to English speakers Bet on it ! otherwise how to comment results of sports ? > - employers desire (and some require) direct communication with employees Sure ! no middleman for daily tasks ! I have seen some mexicans families enjoying like mad when they understand signs, cell phone contracts , flyers, etc. also when they put hard efforts to understand their neighbours. .....to understand an insurance policy.....it will take longer :-) > > I have found that I can almost always get a better > > deal from a merchant who doesn't speak English. > > My experience is that I get the best deals when I'm able to make small > talk and tell jokes in the midst of the battering. Yes, I don't care what country he/she is coming from if communication can be conducted in English ! BTW Have a look on internet Russian ladies agencies ....!!! they highlight English skills ! > > Most of my fellow Americans are aware of the fact that > > there are much better deals to be had in foreign countries > > by doing business with merchants who don't speak English. > Actually, the merchants who speak English are able to wheel-and-deal in > (at least) two languages. Therefore, they typically have more expanded > supply lines and better bargaining ability than their (non English > speaking) peers. Absolutely.....I used to work in the hosting field with only-English operators.....(a Texas ISP) but with troubles arise.....I choose to speak in my mother tongue with hispanic customer support to avoid strong misunderstandings......... so I think that having bilingual personnel...... is a key for success with international customers. Nevertheless....the best way to deal business overseas....is having local bilingual help........to get best prices at town (as visitor) The same thing all over the world.....!!!! The result is an economic advantage and, thus, lower > wholesale prices. They are, therefore, able to afford deeper discounts. > > Unlike me, most of my fellow Americans who travel in > > foreign countries have much more money than I and > > they don't care about the price. What they care most > > about is the pleasure of being able to do business with > > a merchant who knows how to communicate very well > > with his American customers, even if they know that > > the English speaking merchants charge much higher > > prices for the Americans. ******** That's could be certain for high profile tourists........but.. Ordinary people usually enjoy to pay the same price as local consumers. As it happens on a chain store...... Normal for average human behaviour isn't it ? BTW a BigMac here for less than $2 sounds a real bargain :-) for an US/Europe visitor ! What bobody knows exactly how much have to pay for a tango lesson !!!! ....or a private sightseeing with a multicultural translator...........BTW if you know anybody coming here, very peaceful South America with a small touch of European background.....let us know about me :) Exchange rate by **************** Dec. 2001 1 US dollar = 1 peso (bad for tourism) March 2002 1 U$ dollar = 3.80 peso March 2003 1 U$ dollar = 3.00 peso ATM networks (Cirrus/VisaCash, etc.) work dispensing local currency at street price 1$=3 peso Samples ******* Automobile gas (butane) U$ 0.70 per gallon (less toxic than unleaded gas) An excellent bottle of export-grade Cabernet/Sauvignon/Malbec wine under $ 3 dollars ! (I saw at U$ 12 in an continental US chain) A complete meal (includes a T-bone barbecued steak at a restaurant under $ 5 each.....woow !) So.......I would like to think as tourist......(grin) .....comparing with US domestic prices so doing great gains !!! :) ..............is this too much off topic ?.....sorry, I don't like at this time to speak about world facts ! To much grief and sorrow..........seeing how tweak is the human condition. Evil greed and misery means not having confidence in the future......conversely HOPE !!!! Italian author Dante's Alighieri.....(classic litherature talking about the Inferno ** Divine Comedy***)...tells about that..... LACK of HOPE means DEATH ! As it is told in the Old Testament............."People wit lack of vision..... will peril " Let's enjoy every day with more HOPE every day !!! Elliot > Our shopping styles are vastly different. I usually follow the > English-only shoppers around until they buy something I want. Because > they only speak English, I know exactly what deal they negotiated. > Afterward, I greet the merchant in a few words from his language, make > some small talk, and strike a better bargain. > > If, as you claim, those merchants charge excessive prices to the American > shoppers, then they have a greater profit margin and are better able to > give a better discount. > > What IS significant is knowing what prices the LOCAL (knowledgeable) > people pay. That has nothing to do with a merchant's ability to > communicate in English, but depends solely upon knowing the local > economic environment. > > And (to make this dialog 'computer related'), if you find a way to help > the 'little guys' in that local environment to be more computer > competent, then they will reward that effort by helping you negotiate the > local marketplace. So, advocating and helping others learn English will > yield a direct, and positive, economic benefit to you. And you might > learn a few local greetings in the process. > > Bob Dohse > > > - > > ________________________________________________________________ > Sign Up for Juno Platinum Internet Access Today > Only $9.95 per month! > Visit www.juno.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 02 Apr 2003 13:59:59 -0500 From: "Samuel W. Heywood" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: (OT) Why not Latin instead of Esperanto? On Wed, 2 Apr 2003 07:33:15 -0700, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > On Wed, 02 Apr 2003 "Samuel W. Heywood" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >> Learning to master the speaking and writing of English will be of >> little economic benefit for those who lack skills and knowledge and >> experience in the highly lucrative vocations. > The up-and-coming highly (actually, moderately) lucrative vocations are, > more and more, including those with manual tasks. Further, all documents > in America (work or otherwise) are always in English. Anyone (native born > or immigrant) who doesn't have fluency in English is at a disadvantage in > an environment where English is the norm. Any ignorance on any subject will put someone at some kind of disadvantage, but some kinds of ignorance do not result in putting one at a disadvantage of an economic nature. Unless one's job involves having to deal with documents and to fill out forms and to communicate with the general public ignorance of English will not put one at an economic disadvantage. Many employers have foremen and supervisors who can speak the immigrant worker's language. They instruct the immigrant laborers on what they are supposed to do and they help them to fill out their forms. Learning English would only help the employee to be considered for a promotion to a low level supervisor's position. He would not rise to a highly paid job unless he were to learn new skills other than the ability to speak, understand, read, and to write English. >> An immigrant who is >> is a manual laborer is not likely to be able to get a higher paying >> job just because he learns to speak English. Employers for those kinds >> of jobs only care about how dependable the laborer is and they care >> about how well and how fast he can do the job. They don't care if he >> can't speak English because that is not what he is paid to do. > Incorrect on all counts. Immigrants learn English specifically because: > - they can get more money for the same (types of) job They do not get more money for the same kinds of jobs just by being able to speak English. They get more money for the same kinds of jobs only by learning to become more productive. > - there are more jobs available to English speakers True, but immigrant workers who don't speak English don't have any problems in finding jobs as long as they have the required immigration papers. Only lazy Americans say that they have problems in finding a job. > - employers desire (and some require) direct communication with employees True. However, a hard working immigrant who can't speak English can easily get hired by some employers who do not have such requirements. A highly skilled and diligent worker can get a high paying job even if he can't speak at all. I know some deaf mutes who have very high paying jobs. I used to work closely with some. We communicated with each other by simple gestures and sometimes by writing very short and abbreviated notes to each other. Very little communication was required for successfully coordinating our work activities. The immediate supervisors of the deaf mute employees were required to learn American Sign Language. If the supervisor can't speak the language of his employees then the employer can simply require the supervisors to learn to speak their language. If the supervisors have a problem with that, then the supervisors can be replaced. >> English speaking shopkeepers and merchants in foreign countries are >> not very likely to benefit from my patronage. > Perhaps you are the exception. >> I have found that I can almost always get a better >> deal from a merchant who doesn't speak English. > My experience is that I get the best deals when I'm able to make small > talk and tell jokes in the midst of the battering. Did you mean the bantering or perhaps the bargaining? >> Most of my fellow Americans are aware of the fact that >> there are much better deals to be had in foreign countries >> by doing business with merchants who don't speak English. > Actually, the merchants who speak English are able to wheel-and-deal in > (at least) two languages. Therefore, they typically have more expanded > supply lines and better bargaining ability than their (non English > speaking) peers. The result is an economic advantage and, thus, lower > wholesale prices. They are, therefore, able to afford deeper discounts. Yes, I know they are able to afford to give deeper discounts, but if the word gets out that they give deep discounts then all of their customers will try to get the deeply discounted prices. >> Unlike me, most of my fellow Americans who travel in >> foreign countries have much more money than I and >> they don't care about the price. What they care most >> about is the pleasure of being able to do business with >> a merchant who knows how to communicate very well >> with his American customers, even if they know that >> the English speaking merchants charge much higher >> prices for the Americans. > Our shopping styles are vastly different. I usually follow the > English-only shoppers around until they buy something I want. Because > they only speak English, I know exactly what deal they negotiated. > Afterward, I greet the merchant in a few words from his language, make > some small talk, and strike a better bargain. > If, as you claim, those merchants charge excessive prices to the American > shoppers, then they have a greater profit margin and are better able to > give a better discount. > What IS significant is knowing what prices the LOCAL (knowledgeable) > people pay. That has nothing to do with a merchant's ability to > communicate in English, but depends solely upon knowing the local > economic environment. Yes, that is very significant. For this reason I always try to make friends with the local folks and ask for their advice. Foreigners travelling in the US also frequently ask me for my advice on local prices and best places to shop and the best places to visit in the local environment. I always give them the very best advice I can. > And (to make this dialog 'computer related'), if you find a way to help > the 'little guys' in that local environment to be more computer > competent, then they will reward that effort by helping you negotiate the > local marketplace. So, advocating and helping others learn English will > yield a direct, and positive, economic benefit to you. And you might > learn a few local greetings in the process. Helping others in any way will always result in very good karma for you. Sometimes the good karma will come to you in the form of economic benefit but more frequently it will come to you in other ways. Sam Heywood - -- This mail was written by user of The Arachne Browser: http://browser.arachne.cz/ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 2 Apr 2003 22:40:51 -0700 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Battering On Wed, 02 Apr 2003 "Samuel W. Heywood" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: > > My experience is that I get the best deals when I'm able to make > > small talk and tell jokes in the midst of the battering. > > Did you mean the bantering or perhaps the bargaining? Well, I meant to write "bartering". But, come to think of it, sometimes I get battered. <g> Bob - - ________________________________________________________________ Sign Up for Juno Platinum Internet Access Today Only $9.95 per month! Visit www.juno.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 03 Apr 2003 09:43:31 -0500 From: "Sam Ewalt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: (OT) Why not Latin instead of Esperanto? On Wed, 02 Apr 2003 09:02:48 +1000, Ron Clarke wrote: > BTW: Anybody thought of declining VIRUS ? > - virus > vire > virum > virii > viro There is an extensive discussion regarding the Latin declinsion of VIRUS at the website I mentioned previously. http://www.perl.com/language/misc/virus.html It's not as straightforward as you might imagine. From what I was able to discern VIRUS in Latin is a special class the gets handled differently. But it's all Greek to me. <grin> Evidently, in Latin VIRUS has no plural. And the reason Latin is now of limited utiity is that hardly anyone speaks it anymore. I'm willing to bet that even when a Roman Catholic Bishop from Africa meets his counterpart from South America that they are more likely to converse in English than in Latin. Thirty years ago when I was in high school Latin was still offered in some larger schools as an elective. Today high school Latin in the United States is extremely rare. Tempis fugit. Sam Ewalt Croswell, Michigan, USA - -- Arachne V1.70;rev.3, NON-COMMERCIAL copy, http://arachne.cz/ ------------------------------ End of arachne-digest V1 #2085 ******************************
