Steely Dan Posted December 4, 2008 Author Posted December 4, 2008 Truly dizzying. That may even top the $200 hammer story. I like the line from "Independence Day" when they were talking about funding secret government programs. "You don't really believe they paid $200 for a hammer did you."
SD Jarhead Posted December 5, 2008 Posted December 5, 2008 The amount of waste on the program I'm working on is sickening. The worst part to me is the ridiculous amount of contractors they have doing the same thing. At the same time, none of them will cooperate with the other companies because they're afraid they'll get their contract poached during annual re-bids. Un-farking believable! I could write volumes about what's wrong with some of these contractors...
The Dean Posted December 5, 2008 Posted December 5, 2008 How quickly would everyone learn to speak English if driving tests, welfare applications, tax forms, ATMs, etc were not offered in Spanish? Maybe some more would lean English. But, surely more people would drive without licenses, not pay taxes and steal to get enough $ to get food. ATM's probably wouldn't be a problem. Other than that, though....good plan!
DC Tom Posted December 5, 2008 Posted December 5, 2008 Maybe some more would lean English. If only the irony were intentional...
The Dean Posted December 5, 2008 Posted December 5, 2008 If only the irony were intentional... It's called "message board English"!
Steely Dan Posted December 5, 2008 Author Posted December 5, 2008 It's called "message board English"! I would have gone the it was intentional route.
YellowLinesandArmadillos Posted December 5, 2008 Posted December 5, 2008 I lost my SS card and had to go to get a replacement card. They called me in and I gave the woman the application and showed her my license and told them my SS#. You'd think she would have walked over to a printer and handed me a new card. No they're gonna mail it to me. How much more does that cost over just handing me a damn card!? Another thing that pissed me off is they have applications in Spanish. Learn the language! I noticed they didn't have applications in French or German or Swahili. What the is happening here. [/rant] They just want to make sure you live where you say you are living, hence the mail, just one last check, get over it... talk about immediate gratification.
DC Tom Posted December 5, 2008 Posted December 5, 2008 It's called "message board English"! I thought maybe you'd been drinkling again, Love Corn.
The Dean Posted December 5, 2008 Posted December 5, 2008 I thought maybe you'd been drinkling again, Love Corn. Of course I was drinkling, Whiskey Dick. If I'm posting at 10:30PM, I've been drinking (at least a little).
HereComesTheReignAgain Posted December 6, 2008 Posted December 6, 2008 Of course I was drinkling, Whiskey Dick. If I'm posting at 10:30PM, I've been drinking (at least a little). You've been "drinkling whiskey dick"? I don't think I want to know what that means.
The Dean Posted December 6, 2008 Posted December 6, 2008 You've been "drinkling whiskey dick"? I don't think I want to know what that means. I keep getting into a deeper hole, on this one. For the record, Whiskey Dick is an old nickname for DC Tom...and NO, I wasn't drinking (or drinkling) DC Tom.
Steely Dan Posted December 6, 2008 Author Posted December 6, 2008 I keep getting into a deeper hole, on this one. For the record, Whiskey Dick is an old nickname for DC Tom...and NO, I wasn't drinking (or drinkling) DC Tom. Deeper hole?
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted December 6, 2008 Posted December 6, 2008 You'd have a point if the US's official language was English. When the majority of America is Hispanic (somewhere around 2035 I believe), do you want people insisting that you learn Spanish to conform? That's why you make the official language English. NOW.
The Dean Posted December 6, 2008 Posted December 6, 2008 That's why you make the official language English. NOW. Why?
Steely Dan Posted December 6, 2008 Author Posted December 6, 2008 Why? If they mean that making English the official language would stop government forms and phone trees from being done in Spanish then I'm all for it. As someone mentioned before if that was done you'd be seeing people learn English much faster!
The Dean Posted December 6, 2008 Posted December 6, 2008 If they mean that making English the official language would stop government forms and phone trees from being done in Spanish then I'm all for it. As someone mentioned before if that was done you'd be seeing people learn English much faster! So, you suggest the USA adopt English as its official language for the purpose of cutting back on the expense of printing forms in two languages? Do you have any idea of the expense of making English the official language? Also, the REAL money saver is to make the forms electronic, thereby adding very little expense to have them in different languages (as compared to the current system). Of course, that costs money to implement, too.
DC Tom Posted December 6, 2008 Posted December 6, 2008 Also, the REAL money saver is to make the forms electronic, thereby adding very little expense to have them in different languages (as compared to the current system). Of course, that costs money to implement, too. Surprisingly, no. I've been involved in more projects like this than I can count (at least two federal, I don't know how many state and local). It should be less expensive; because of the rules and regulations surrounding government forms, it's usually a waste of money.
Steely Dan Posted December 6, 2008 Author Posted December 6, 2008 So, you suggest the USA adopt English as its official language for the purpose of cutting back on the expense of printing forms in two languages? Do you have any idea of the expense of making English the official language? Also, the REAL money saver is to make the forms electronic, thereby adding very little expense to have them in different languages (as compared to the current system). Of course, that costs money to implement, too. I believe the long term benefits would outweigh the short term costs and as Tom pointed out above those costs may not even exist. It can only benefit this country to have everyone speaking English. If you can't speak English then it's your responsibility to get help for that. Not the governments.
DC Tom Posted December 6, 2008 Posted December 6, 2008 I believe the long term benefits would outweigh the short term costs and as Tom pointed out above those costs may not even exist. It can only benefit this country to have everyone speaking English. If you can't speak English then it's your responsibility to get help for that. Not the governments. I never pointed that out. I said The Dean's idea of cost savings via electronic media was a fiction.
The Dean Posted December 6, 2008 Posted December 6, 2008 Surprisingly, no. I've been involved in more projects like this than I can count (at least two federal, I don't know how many state and local). It should be less expensive; because of the rules and regulations surrounding government forms, it's usually a waste of money. I appreciate the input from someone with actual experience in the area. I understand you correctly, it is only expensive and wasteful, now, because of antiquated [my addition] rules and regulations. I think the government needs to start overhauling those regs, to try to get only 20, or so years, behind the times. And, while I understand that changing the rules costs money, I don't think it costs anywhere near the money that a constitutional amendment to make English the official language of the country, would cost...nor would it involve as much political BS. One of the "changes" I hope to see from this next administration is the acceptance of some of the benefits of the new information age (as well as realistically addressing the problems and threats, it poses). Have an administration that isn't ignorant, nor afraid, of the technology should be an advantage in getting those kind of changes started. I'm not saying it WILL happen, but I think there is a decent chance that it might.
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