Casa D'Ice

[SLAYER]

Anyone in the Pittsburgh area, know this place. It is North Versailes, the owner changes the sign on his place every week to voice his messages, for lack of a better word. I like this guy and have never met him. His messages are unpolitically correct but very truthful. If I was computer literate I would post some of them. but here is one.

 

1903 my g'father arrives in Ellis Island and must learn English to survive. 102 yrs. later in our own country we must push one to proceed in English what a crock of shiat.

 

there are others about gas prices and other stuff. one more

 

The seatbelt law is a giant money machine for townships. Ask law enforcement why 40 million children can ride a school bus twice a day without seat belts.

[DMD]

been posted before

 

Here are some of the signs. This is their website.

[SLAYER]

been posted before

 

Here are some of the signs. This is their website.

 

 

 

Thanks, I like this guy.

[detlef]

What is so freaking hard about pressing "one"? It's a popular gripe these day. I've got list a mile long of bullsheaught about this country I'd love to change and frankly, some of it is written on those billboards. I suppose pressing one is just a cross that I'm willing to bear.

[Ursa Majoris]

Those signs remind me of the loud mouthed stupid drunk at the end of the bar.

[jetsfan]

Those signs remind me of the loud mouthed stupid drunk at the end of the bar.

 

 

I ain't got time for the written word

[irish]

What is so freaking hard about pressing "one"?

 

 

It's not a matter of how hard it is versus the idea that you live in America so learn to speak English (like immigrants did 102 yrs ago) and there wouldn't be a need for having to press one. Having to be overly PC about everything sucks balls. It's like in this day and age you can't be honest anymore about everything as you must insult someone. So instead we raise our kids to be liars. As voicing your opinion or stating your beliefs (religious, political or personal) in a public forum (or this forum for that matter) is frowned upon. I miss the good old days.

[Ursa Majoris]

It's not a matter of how hard it is versus the idea that you live in America so learn to speak English (like immigrants did 102 yrs ago) and there wouldn't be a need for having to press one. Having to be overly PC about everything sucks balls. It's like in this day and age you can't be honest anymore about everything as you must insult someone. So instead we raise our kids to be liars. As voicing your opinion or stating your beliefs (religious, political or personal) in a public forum (or this forum for that matter) is frowned upon. I miss the good old days.

 

This is tripe. Institutions that have systems where you press 1 to continue in English are simply catering for reality. While I agree that Spanish speaking immigrants should learn English (and are at a serious disadvantage if they do not), it makes perfect sense for banks and the like to have automated systems that are bilingual. Would you prefer that Spanish speakers who have not yet had the time to learn English have no way of contacting utilities, the IRS, other government agencies, retailers et al?

[irish]

This is tripe. Institutions that have systems where you press 1 to continue in English are simply catering for reality. While I agree that Spanish speaking immigrants should learn English (and are at a serious disadvantage if they do not), it makes perfect sense for banks and the like to have automated systems that are bilingual. Would you prefer that Spanish speakers who have not yet had the time to learn English have no way of contacting utilities, the IRS, other government agencies, retailers et al?

 

Not at all. They should just go back home. Problem solved.

[detlef]

It's not a matter of how hard it is versus the idea that you live in America so learn to speak English (like immigrants did 102 yrs ago) and there wouldn't be a need for having to press one. Having to be overly PC about everything sucks balls. It's like in this day and age you can't be honest anymore about everything as you must insult someone. So instead we raise our kids to be liars. As voicing your opinion or stating your beliefs (religious, political or personal) in a public forum (or this forum for that matter) is frowned upon. I miss the good old days.

 

Simple fact is, just like 102 years ago, people who come here and don't learn the language are at a huge disadvantage. I employ many Spanish speaking immigrants. Those that learn English become cooks and move up the ladder, those that don't stay in the dish room and are forced to listen to REM.

 

Somebody please explain how, other than the fact that they get to press #2 to hear spanish, this is significantly different than before?

[Ursa Majoris]

forced to listen to REM.

 

This may qualify as cruel and unusual punishment.

[detlef]

Honestly, I'm really curious why the "press one" issue is so complained about. For those of you who see it as some tell tale sign that we coddle immigrants needlessly these days, could you really explain the difference between the good old days "when they were forced to learn English" and now?

 

As I see it:

 

Certainly I'm no history teacher and did not, myself, experience the US in the early 1900s, but I'm taking this from movies depicting that era. These have often been about Italians. Say Godfather II, for instance.

 

100 years ago, people from other countries would come here speaking only their native tongues. They'd surround themselves with others from their same countries and speak their native language around each other. There seemed to be a sense of importance to preserve their culture so children, while certainly encouraged to learn English, were also required to learn Italian, etc. By and large, the older people were, the less likely they were to pick up English. Also, those who did, moved up the social ladder much faster and were often in a position to assist those who didn't either through the kindness of their hearts or for a fee (see: how Don Corleone appeared to get his start). I would imagine that there were no shortage of people occupying bottom tier jobs like working at the docks, warehouses, back kitchens, etc. that never learned much English.

 

It would also seem that children born here would ultimately be the ones who really picked up the language more so than even those ambitious enough to learn it here as adults.

 

Can anyone point out any significant changes now?

 

In my kitchen, one of my dishwashers is about 50 years old. His son, who speaks very good English and is a line cook for me, got him the job. Dude can't be too stoked about taking orders from his son, but that's tough doo doo. Once again, old guy doesn't learn the new language, kid does. Kid climbs the ladder, old man doesn't. In the Latino community, there are a number of better-educated and ambitious immigrants (maybe 2nd generation?) who've learned English and have worked themselves into the community at large. They make a tidy living cashing checks, preparing taxes for, selling groceries to, and generally acting as advocates for other Latinos. Sounds like the same situation?

 

So, it all comes down to business realizing that they're ignoring a significant market share by not embracing Spanish-speaking people and the Government not wanting to see a Latino version of the mafia emerge, so they make it easier for those who don't speak very good English to deal directly with them.

 

I invite you to point to any significant amount of people who've managed to thrive in the US despite a failure to learn the language. That would seem, to be the crux of the issue, wouldn't it? That by giving them on option on the telephone or offering Spanish speaking schools, that we've removed the incentive to learn English. I call BS