Bay Street of the U.S.A. (Part 3)

(Image from http://bit.ly/9Bgp7q)

Ombudsmen never have actual power over me

Because they must be impartial all the time

And I always design my financial products

Very slyly and preempt any loss on my side

Facebook vs. Google

(Image via http://bit.ly/98AEad)

(Image from http://bit.ly/dbsah6)

It just dawned that Facebook would pretty soon inaugurate its own email services, which particular move could result in Facebook wresting even more users from Google. And strangely, that wreaked a puny flutter of panic in me. I went and ferreted out an old post of mine which advocated against using Facebook too much. From this day forward, I will personally keep tabs on the competition of Facebook versus Google, which is for sure going to unroll splendid showdowns.


Below is my old entry that appeared in June 2008:


***
My position is anti-FaceBook. Period. Twitter is a better alternative. Here goes some excerpt from How to Avoid Wasting Time on Facebook - wikiHow:

Some people love to use Facebook to keep in touch with friends. However, Facebook seems to be set up to try to draw you in and spend (waste) more time there, and to get your friends to spend more time there. If you just want to use it to keep in touch with people, renew contact with old friends, and just maybe do some networking, here are some ways to avoid wasting too much time.

The feeling of words failing me

From time to time, I have the feeling that words fail me. One day when waterfowl fluttered gracefully over a lake, wanting to express that, I lost my words. And one day I spoke with a friend, trying to thoroughly and holistically display my points of view, and my utterance twisted.

Excellent free online film - "Billy Elliot"

This familiar and popular flick is for me a blast from the past. I'd recommend it: YouTube - Billy Elliot Film - Part 1. Enjoy.

Bay Street of the U.S.A. (Part 2)

(Image from http://bit.ly/9Bgp7q)

This is monkey business but you don't know

I am the guaranteed beneficiary all the way

No matter what I promise you in sales pitches

It is my self interest which drives my services

Eye candy - Music video - The Corrs & Bono - When the Stars Go Blue (Live 8)

(Another version of the song, by The Corrs at the Montreux (Switzerland) Jazz Festival, which isn't as fine, for my money.)


The lyrics are: http://bit.ly/8QmCqk

Bay Street of the U.S.A. (Part 1)

(Image from http://bit.ly/9Bgp7q)

Our international financial hearts flutter at

Thousands of transactions per millisecond

The revenue doubles, the net earnings triple

And the employees turnover rate quadruples

The polyglot Switzerland

(Image from http://bit.ly/bVmSLx)

Switzerland is a polyglot nation. For the most part, people in Zurich and Berne speak German, while those in Geneva converse in French. Well, we can approximate the country to be a bilingual one, just like Canada is, can't we?

Nonetheless, pragmatically speaking, there may be a glut of human languages on the earth, given the rabid advancement of this internet age, whose preponderant language of choice is English, for the sake of communication and presentation.

Information via web - 想要学好英语, 最重要的就是使自己成为 "a big reader"

"""
英语界名人、名家论阅读

光学几句干巴巴的英文不行，……不要总是把阅读的目的放在提高英文

上，阅读首先是吸收知识，吸收知识的过程中自然而然就吸收了语言。
——许国璋

用英文思维是许多英语学习者都希望达到的一种境界，因为这是用英语流畅地表达思想的基础。对于一个生活在非英语环境中的中国学生来说，要做到部分或全部用英文来思考确有很大难度，但也不是可望而不可及。从自己学习英语的经历中，我体会到坚持大量阅读是实现这一目标最有效的途径之一。
——何其莘（北京外国语大学副校长 博士生导师）

对于初、中级英语学习者我特别推荐英语简易读物，读的材料要浅易，故事性要强，读的速度尽可能快一些，读得越多越好。这是学英语屡试不爽的好方法。
——胡文仲（北京外国语大学教授）

序言
中国人学英语现状分析

◆英语是语言的帝国

全球60亿人中,有3.8亿人的母语是英语；2.5亿人的第二母语是英语。12.3亿人学习英语,33.6亿人和英语有关。全世界电视节目的75％、E-mail的80％、网络的85％、软件源代码的100％使用英语。40～50年后,全球50％的人精通英语。全球约6000种语言,本世纪末其中的90％将消亡。届时英语作为主导语言的地位将进一步得到提升。

目前中国大约有3亿人在学英语,超过英国和美国的人口总和,这是中国努力与时代接轨、与国际接轨的一个重要标志。大量中国人熟练掌握国际通用语言是中华民族走向繁荣富强的必要保障。

◆英语学习的远期目标

在中国,英语已经远远超出一个学科的范畴,一个人英语水平的高低总是和事业、前途、地位,甚至命运联系在一起。对于个人来讲,英语在人生旅途中具有战略意义,不失时机地在英语上投入时间、投入精力、投入金钱符合与时俱进的潮流,是明智之举。

◆目前存在的问题

尽管在中国学习英语的人很多,但收效却令人担忧,学了这么多年英语,能够运用自如的人实在是凤毛麟角。由于运用能力差,无法品尝到英语学习成功的快乐,很多人不得不承认学英语的目的只是为了考试。

◆来自西方的教育理念

中国人读英语有个缺点,学习缺乏渐进性。他们习惯于读满篇都是生词的文章,以为这样"收获"才最大。结果他们的阅读不断地被查词典打断,一小时只能看两三页,读起来自然索然无味,最后只能作罢。这是中国人学英语的通病!读的文章几乎全部达到了语言学家所说的"frustration level"(使学生感到沮丧的程度)。


我当年的英语老师是美国一位非常优秀的教育家,叫Steven,他在第一次给我们上课时就说：想要学好英语,最重要的就是使自己成为"a big reader"(大量阅读的人,博览群书者)。Read, read, read. 但保证阅读能够顺利进行的关键是阅读材料的难度。生词、难点不能过多,总体水平要低于自己的水平。这样读起来才能津津有味,爱不释手。

西方的语言学家和心理学家对英语学习者的阅读状况进行了大量的研究,结论令人非常吃惊：最适宜阅读的难度比我们长期所处的、我们所习惯的、我们头脑中定位的难度要低得多!只有文中生词量小到足以保证阅读的持续性时,语言吸收的效果才最好,语言水平的提高也最快。举个形象的例子：上山是从峭壁直接艰难攀登还是走平缓的盘山路好?显然,能够从峭壁登顶者寥寥无几!即使其能勉强成功,也远远落后于沿坦途行进者。(Really? I really doubt that it remains true all the way.  --double_take)

◆不可缺少的环节


没有几百万字的输入无法学好英语。语言的习得是一个长期的过程,需要大量的"输入"。一个由汉语武装起来的头脑,没有几百万字英文的输入,即使要达到一般水平也难。绝大多数的英语学习者正是由于缺少了这一环节,所以停留在一个无奈的水平上。("水是眼波横，山是眉峰聚。 欲问行人去那边，眉眼盈盈处"。 --double_take)


◆"圣人"学英语的做法

在学英语的长远目标和考试的压力共同作用下,自然会产生学好英语的强烈愿望,但这一愿望的实现需要有很强的"韧劲(自我约束力)"。春来不是读书天,夏日炎炎正好眠,秋有蚊虫冬又冷,收起书包待明年。随着物质文明的繁荣,总有一些理由使人不能安心学习。这样下去,我们的英语之树永远长不高。古人云：人静而后安,安而能后定,定而能后慧,慧而能后悟,悟而能后得。很有道理。在四川大足佛教石刻艺术中,有一组大型佛雕《牧牛图》,描绘了一个牧童和牛由斗争、对抗到逐渐协调、融合,最后合而为一的故事。佛祖说："人的心魔难伏,就像牛一样,私心杂念太多太多；修行者就要像牧童训练他们,驯服他们,以完美自己的人生。"那些具有很强心力的人,我们姑且称其为"圣人",他们能够驯服那些影响我们学习的大牛、小牛,抵制各种诱惑,集中精力,专心学习,到达成功的彼岸。

◆凡人的困惑

在目前的教育体系中,学好英语是需要坚韧不拔的毅力的。但问题是我们大多数平凡的人无法和圣人相比,所以在学英语的征途上,失败者多,成功者少。客观地讲,即使采用不太高的标准来衡量在中国英语学习的失败率应该在99%以上,有的人说："难道我们不能把大多数的人都变成圣人吗?"这样大多数人就可以学好英语了。我们不得不承认大多数凡夫俗子是不能够成为圣人的。值得我们深思的是,目前的英语学习体系没有给大多数人提供一条平坦的道路。

◆兴趣--英语学习成功的真正源泉

我和大家一样都是凡人,我也曾经遇到过学英语的困惑,干巴巴的课文无论怎样都激不起我的兴趣。幸运的是我有一个在国外生活多年的姐姐,有一次她回国,给我带来很多浅显有趣的读物。我拿起一本一读,觉得很简单,一个星期就读完了。就英语学习而言,一部英文小说其实就是用英语建构的一个"虚拟世界"。那里有人,有人的心灵和人与人之间关系的揭示,有人与自然、与社会的冲突和调和。走进一部英文小说,你实际上就已经"生活"在一个"英语世界"里了,不愁没有东西可学。经典作品要读,写得好的当代通俗小说也要读。我一共读了50本,从此对英语产生了兴趣,英语水平有了很大的提高。还是爱因斯坦说得好："兴趣是最好的老师"。

本套读物的特色：

●情节曲折：本书选材的时候非常注意作品的吸引力。比方说：

《查泰莱夫人的情人》(Lady Chatterley's Lover)：我当年读大学的时候,班上每个同学都买一本看。有的同学甚至熄灯后,打着手电筒躲在被窝里看。

《吸血鬼》(Dracula)：这个故事真吓人,我看完以后好几天没睡好觉。后来我的一个学生说他对英语从来不感兴趣,我就把这本小说推荐给他。后来他对我说："这是我一口气读完的第一本英语书,就是太吓人了。老师,能不能再给我来一本?"

《呼啸山庄》(Wuthering Heights)：讲述的是一个骇人听闻的复仇故事,当初没有想到这本书的作者竟然是一个生活在几乎与世隔绝环境中的女孩。

《飘》(Gone with the Wind)：几乎所有的美国女孩都读过这本书,主人公斯佳丽是美国女孩的偶像,可以说我见过的每个美国女孩都是一个Scarlett。

……

本套丛书收入的都是你在一生中值得去读的作品,读这些作品不但可以提高你的英语水平,而且能够提高你的个人修养。
"""

- Copied from http://www.amazon.cn/detail/product.asp?prodid=zjbk078508&ref=GS&uid=000-0000000-0000000 in around 2008

- Recycled in 2010

I like the sounds of the leaves fluttering

I like the sounds of the palpably many-hued leaves fluttering on their abode trees when the winds meet up with them.

Abyss, or limbo (Part 2)

(Image from http://bit.ly/cb8aPl)

Unaware of the surpassing sublimity
Of the opaque and unfathomable abyss

It turned its little heart and mind

To the habitually comforting limbo

Lifelessness was not what it dreaded

It recoiled at being entirely hopeless

Of precipitating the golden winds

Which fell in its enslaving dreams

Abyss, or limbo (Part 1)

(Image from http://bit.ly/dsBoa6)

It flew into the factual abyss
With glamorous little thoughts
And found itself powerlessly
Lifeless in the unfeeling chasm

It put on its chunky gray glasses
And saw bitterness in its heart
It turned around its eyes toward
A red welcoming but staid limbo

Profound - My notes (Part 1) - "Death of a Salesman"

Here goes some excerpt from the Wikipedia entry:

Death of a Salesman is a 1949 play written by American playwright Arthur Miller. The play ran for 745 performances, winning both the Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize for drama. The original production was directed by Elia Kazan with Lee J. Cobb starring in the leading role of Willy Loman.

The play attempts to raise a counterexample to Aristotle's characterization of tragedy as the downfall of a great man: though Loman certainly has hamartia, a tragic flaw or error, his downfall is that of an ordinary man. In this sense, Miller's play represents a democratization of the ancient form of tragedy; the play's protagonist is himself obsessed with the question of greatness, and his downfall arises directly from his continued misconception of himself--at age 63--as someone capable of greatness, as well as the unshakable conviction that greatness stems directly from personal charisma or popularity.

And this line of text caught my eye on that web page too:

Sandage, Scott A. (2005). Born Losers: A History of Failure in America. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Human hearts tend to flutter

Human hearts tend to flutter, under the scarcely unfathomable forces and influences in the society. And the fluttering oftentimes leads to regrets or remonstrances.

Paradox of U.S.A.'s seeming lack of cultural depth and its actual cultural sophistication

It seems that I've never ceased to be amazed by the paradox of U.S.A.'s seeming lack of cultural depth and its actual cultural sophistication, or at least the actual cultural sophistication of its myriad cultured individuals.

Proficiency in English Decreases

(Image from http://bit.ly/bEIlf6)

In the non-English speaking nations, including France, which is the originating country of the native Quebecois, the necessity of gaining literary in the Anglo-Saxon language is so palpable that people has become to be crazy about it. Meanwhile, in the English-speaking countries, the ubiquity of highly developed proficiency in the language seems to make immigrants numb about or weary of the urgency of honing their own tongues, for the most part. And that has been my impression.

Here is an article from The NYT in January 2005: Proficiency in English Decreases Over a Decade. And here follows some well put excerpt:

For generations of immigrants to New York, learning English has been the passport to a better life, whether it turned a busboy into a waiter, bridged the distance between an ethnic enclave and the Ivy League, or was just used to persuade the landlord to turn on the heat.

"English literacy supports self-sufficiency, supports the ability to get a raise, to get a promotion, and it fosters children's academic success," said Jeanne B. Mullgrav, commissioner of the city Department of Youth and Community Development, citing research that underscores the importance of parental involvement. "To the extent that parents improve their skills, children succeed."

The ideal social workers should be persevering

They must be persevering, persistent, and gentle.

Life in front of screens and within rooms

In the wake of the unapologetic democratization of personal computing, most city people began to expend the best part of their workday or/and leisure time in front of screens of some sorts, and within the walls of rooms of some sorts, day in and day out.

The Difficulty of English Learning Deserves Its Due

(Image from http://bit.ly/a184ha)

Here goes a brief piece at the NYT - English-Language Teaching Deserves Its Due. And there is a passage in it that hits the spot:

Learning French, Greek or Chinese is considered neither an easy nor basic task even for your exceptional Ivy League student; why should learning English be considered differently?

It has developed that it is rather cumbersome for an individual to cross the dichotomy between the Indo-European languages, English for one thing, and the East Asian languages, including Chinese and Japanese. And that is precisely why it is far easier for an English speaker to acquire Spanish and so on than the Chinese language, and on the other hand, for a Chinese to master the Japanese tongue than the English one.

Enormous difficulties notwithstanding, the imperative to gain fantastic English proficiency is not to be ignored by a speaker of an East Asian language, given the omnipresence of the one and only sucking global economy. The better part of the 21st century will see some intriguing realignment of global resources, especially human capital and cultural capital, along the dimensions of distinct languages families.

Straight from the heart - Music video - "Fifteen" - Taylor Swift & Miley Cyrus

Here go the lyrics: http://bit.ly/I7UKP


Belatedly did come popularity of this fantastic magnitude for a country music star. Taylor Swift has become such a stupendous hit in the world of pop music nowadays.

Her music is typically straight from the heart. By the way, I like Miley Cyrus' singing voice.

FYI: It seems that the young Ms. Taylor Swift writes all her music by herself. Wow, pretty.