GammaGlobulin

I will not, again, have the opportunity to ask, I hope. It was just this email out of the blue, yesterday, that reminded me how terrible life was in the US with everybody exhorting anybody to "Have a good one" that jarred me so unexpectedly. Here in Thailand, and also East Asia, people do not talk like that. I feel comfortable in Asia, where people seldom utter nonsensical utterances, much less voice the same dumb phrase 50 times a day. To me, hearing that unmentionable phrase, repeated over and over, was like nails across a chalkboard. Never going back.

In my phone. Where do you keep yours?

Right. That's my objection to the phase. It's so ill-defined that it could mean both anything and also nothing. How can people even talk like this? Don't they have any respect for the English language?

If someone says to me, "How are you doing?", then I know what to say in reply. However, when they say, "Have a good one!", I inevitably think...a good what? This nonsense began sometime around 1980s, I think. Quite jarring when you first hear this phrase for the first and umpteenth time.

Thanks....

The problem is that you are speaking from a computer science perspective, which is indeed flawed. And I am approaching from a Natural Science perspective. And you should realize that computer science is NOT Science, and neither are the Social Sciences science. As to whether the Sun rises, it does, at least in Spain. It amazes me just how many computer guys are here on TV. They seem to come out of the woodwork when you least expect.

Actually, according to several dictionaries that I have referenced, the phrase does not mean to "have a good weekend". At least, certainly, not exclusively. This is why I detest this phrase... It's just far to nebulous, and nobody knows what anybody is wishing someone. Don't believe me? Check it out for yourself.

Dear Folks, This evening begins the beginning of our weekend. In America, as I recall it, back in 1990, almost everybody you met on a Friday would exhort you, and everybody else who was with you, to "Have a Good One". But...a Good what? During the past 30 years, I had thought that I had heard the last of it. Yet, yesterday, someone sent me an email from Florida, and closed the email by wishing that I might Have a Good One, tomorrow. What do you think they are talking about when they wish you a Good One? Is this just an Americanism, do you think? Each week, when Friday rolls around, do you wish your wife....a Good One? What about your wife's brother? A Good One, too? I must say that I really do not like this expression. And now, after receiving this recent email, I truly wonder what I must do to escape, for good, the inanity of this useless expression, which really means nothing...as far as I can tell. Might it be necessary to use a filter on my incoming emails? But still, just in case I might be missing some hidden meaning, I wonder if you might know... What is a Good One? Do you, yourselves, enjoy a Good One on a Saturday eve? What is good for you might not be so good for me, naturally. Or, is there some sort of Good One that is good for us all, which they are wishing me? Just wondering. Maybe C.B. Ozbourne might know? Or, if he does not... Then...do you? Tks. GG

Glad to know you, Sir! Have you ever tried Brillo?

Yes. 3 percent, I think. Not exactly sure what percent is charged to the merchant. Also, very low margin on supermarket grocery sales, as you suggest.

Good to know. Thank you. Note: Did you attend The Wharton School, by any chance?

So...anyway.... To quote the headline of this Topic: Fixing Thai Education is not just a matter for money.... This is obvious. a. First decide the goals of education b. Then create a system of education which will promote these goals. So .... then....what are the crucial goals of education? Why not consider the thinking of Humboldt? Or, if in a highly regimented society, such as Singapore and North Korea, or Xi's China.... Then the goals of education are far different. Nobody running the ed system in China wishes to educate World Citizens, maybe. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humboldtian_model_of_higher_education Of course, it seems that we are now witnessing a transformation of the Chinese education system under Xi Jinping. Does anybody expect this to go well when this transformation is politically motivated, and also not science-based? If anyone were to set out to "fix" and transform the Thai education system, then changes should be science-based and tested utilizing the long-forgotten Scientific Method. Opinions are like aholes, and everybody's got one. But, this is why we resort to the Scientific Method before we put in place random policies, based on random opinions, to guide education. Correct? No, not correct. Nobody, these days, loves science or the Scientific Method, especially guys like Xi, and many others. Science, for these guys is just too inconvenient. But not to worry because, nothing will change. And that might be a good thing, because.... Change is stressful.... And nobody up there likes stress.

Hopefully, we, as well as any teachers here, should recognize that we are here to exchange views and opinions in a respectful way, mindful of the fact that no two people ever share an identical set of opinions about any given Topic.

a. Although I do recall, very well, the controversy concerning the caning of Fay, I was not thinking of Fay when I mentioned this type of punishment still being doled out in Singapore. I was only referring to the statistics, and caning in general, in Singapore: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caning_in_Singapore#:~:text=A male offender between the,total number of offences committed. b. Concerning the state of education in Singapore, we can rely on rankings to obtain a rough idea of the state of the education system in Singapore. And also, we might ask the question why do Singaporean students perform so well. is it due to the education system? Or, is it due to other factors outside the formal education system? c. If we look at the rankings of Singapore universities, do they rank high on the global scale? They do not.... Note especially. Personally, I would not attend a uni in Singapore, just because one would get a substandard education...compared to some slouch school like PENN, or Princeton, or University of Chicago, not to mention Oxford. Even the University of Hong Kong is FAR better, as everybody knows. Also, as I mentioned, there are good reasons why the students in Singapore preform well. One can easily google the reasons, but culture is a major factor, and intelligence is another factor, as is Singapore's economy, and other factors. But this does not mean that the education system in Singapore is good. It only means that the education system in Singapore is better than that of Cambodia, and many other countries in the region. d. There are many scholarly articles published on this Topic, including articles published by various governmental organizations, as well. e. First, though, it is important to define what education is or should be. And, so far, nobody commenting in this Topic has yet attempted to define education, other than Noam Chomsky, in the two video links previously posted. Obviously, education is needed to pass culture from one generation to the next. But, besides this, then what is it and what should it be? How much control should governments exert over education? Education no longer works well in China due to government controls on free sharing of information. And, we know that Singapore has also exerted control over the free flow of information.... That, and chewing gum while in the underground, or is that all in the past? f. Anyway, best to be at Oxford rather than at some university in Singapore, many would say.

Does lightning ever strike twice? Of course it does! Happens all the time. And so, when Trump gets re-elected, it will be for the same reason that caused his election the first time. America hasn't changed. Therefore, why expect a different outcome this time?

I was not instructing you what you should watch, but merely suggesting that, if you are open minded, then you might truly enjoy Chomsky's views on education. As you may know, many around the world are interested in Chomsky's views on education. And, as well, even here in Thailand, we should be interested in Chomsky's views on education, whether or not we might entirely agree. Chomsky is no chump, after all.... When it comes to teaching.... One must admit.... I think.

When you say..."excellent", you mean excellent in what way, might I ask? Do you mean by global ranking standards? Such as these excellent schools? Or, do you mean, "excellent", by Vietnam Standards? Such as these Vietnam unis you think are excellent? Personally, I would never think of studying at a Vietnam uni. Too many outstanding students there. The competition from fellow students might be too daunting and overwhelming for me. How did you ever manage to read those ESL theses, which, in my view, often read like feces. Just an opinion based on evidence. Or, please provide a few unedited examples of the English writing level of students at Vietnam universities, if you will. Let's all have a very good laugh. Bye, My Friend....

Using a coal-fired power plant to power EVs is fine. The only question is... How will they sequester the CO2?

If you want EXCITEMENT.... Why are you not watching FOX NEWS at this very moment?

Never a truer word spoken! Energy is not clean. Neither is it unclean.

Yes. But, this will require accounting based on reality. And so, this might not happen anytime soon.

Yes. And, I think Dear Old Scorecard was conflating Education and Indoctrination. He seems to have combined the two, and now cannot tell them apart. Maybe he had lived in Singapore...far too long...to know the difference. My Hero: Spare the Rod... Spoil the Child!

Everybody knows that the people/students living in Singapore are, on average, of higher intelligence. But, we are talking about education. Did you watch the Noam video links I posted? If not, please do, and then get back to me. Thank you. Also, I was not aware that there existed a highly credible uni in Vietnam, especially one where the curriculum is taught in English. Have you, in fact, ever even read an MA thesis written by an ESL author? Gibberish and Garbage, at the very best. Anyway, I do not wish to disabuse you of your fantasies... And, as everyone knows, trying to change anyone's views by resorting to logic is a fool's errand. But, if you are open minded, then take a few minutes to watch the Noam videos I posted in a previous comment, and enjoy!

That might take a lot of convincing.

Noam is rather an earthy character. Definitely, he would enjoy it. Noam has travelled to Thailand, as I recall. Yet, he rarely talks about his adventures in Isan. Maybe he wants to keep that part of his life hidden from his students. Not sure.