Sorry, people, I have an urgent translation order, so I’m concentrating on that and not writing all the fascinating posts I would like to be writing.
In the meanwhile, say, ask, link and mention anything you want in the comment section. This is my very first completely open thread ever and I hope it is successful.
Clarissa's Blog 
Do people around here know Simon’s Cat?
If not, you should watch it. It is seriously awesome.
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I am traumatized with the lack of acceptable choices for the upcoming Quebec election. After extensive research, here is what I concluded:
Parti Quebecois = separatists
Quebec Solidaire = separatists
Avenir Quebec = anti-immigration platform
Option Nationale = anti-immigration platform
Liberals = Charest……….
Who is one to vote for??
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PQ all the way. They make the beer taste that much better, Tabernac. 😉
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I like separatists and Option Nationale has not an anti-immigration platform (or at least, not as fascist as the CAQ). And what’s your problem with separatists? Is France must be remerge to a New German Nazi Empire? Is Canada and USA must be remarge to their former British dominion?
I will vote for the PQ, not because I like them so much, but this is the best way to beat Jean Charest and his anti-students scumbags, and the faster way to accomplish Québec’s secession.
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@David Gendron: I am sorry – I don’t fully understand what you said. I welcome you to re-submit it in French.
If you’re saying that Option nationale does not promote anti-immigration policies, then I suspect you are not fully familiarizing yourself with party platforms. One of their top commitments is: “5.2 Fera de la connaissance fonctionnelle du français un critère obligatoire pour immigrer au Québec”. Umm, does that not pose a major barrier on most immigrants outside of France, morocco and Algeria?
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@David
The bulk of Separatists are a bunch of racist, hateful, petty human beings. Jacques Parizeau made that quite clear, Pauline Marois is cut from the same stone. If they win, have a nice trip. 😉
The beer quip means you need to have a few too many just to make them palatable.
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In my view, besides his very unfortunate comment the night of the 1995 referendum (which was not only targeted against immigrants, BTW), Jacques Parizeau was among the greatest arquitects of Quebec’s modernity, perhaps the best politician we have had in the second half of the twentieth century. Social democracy that used to be a consensus in Quebec before the Bouchard’s and Charest’s government owes a great part to him.
I am a separatist and I do not think that people who know me regard me as racist, hateful, or petty. You are insulting 40% of the population of the province of Quebec with your comment. Even if you wanted to be funny you are not, as you only manage to stir animosities and show that hatefulness is perhaps on your side.
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“In my view, besides his very unfortunate comment the night of the 1995 referendum (which was not only targeted against immigrants, BTW), Jacques Parizeau was among the greatest arquitects of Quebec’s modernity”
– I’m now dying to know what the unfortunate comment was. Would anybody like to share? French is welcome on the blog. 🙂
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I lived over half my life in Quebec. My family lived there for over 3 generations. Je suis Quebecois. I am correct in regard to my claims. You are obviously not in the group I cited. Good for you.
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Are there separatists who are not natal nationalists?
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@Clarissa:
Parizeau’s comment was something like that: “We know that we lost the referendum because of MONEY and ETHNIC VOTE.”
The ethnic vote comment was not politically correct and it was much criticized. I was 17 then and I understood better the immigrants who do not like the idea of potential political turmoils than these ‘pure laines’ in the Quebec region who massively voted against independence.
***
I am not suprised that you are still closer to Liberals than other political parties:) As for me, I am in 19% agreement with them. How incredible that you and I get so well alone, regardless!
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“Parizeau’s comment was something like that: “We know that we lost the referendum because of MONEY and ETHNIC VOTE.”
The ethnic vote comment was not politically correct and it was much criticized.”
– I think he was completely right on the ethnic vote. I have no idea why people shouldn’t be able to say the obvious. Was it the word “ethnic” as opposed to “immigrant” that people objected to?
“How incredible that you and I get so well alone, regardless!”
– Yes, you and I offer a beautiful example of how people of different linguistic origins in Quebec can co-exist and collaborate. 🙂
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«C’est vrai, c’est vrai qu’on a été battus, au fond, par quoi? Par l’argent puis des votes ethniques, essentiellement». (“It’s true, it’s true we were beaten, yes, but by what? By money and ethnic votes, essentially.”) Jacques Parizeau.
@Ol
Lol, and the separatist says………”Unfortunate comment”, I wonder if you exchanged the words ethnic and money with Blacks and Jews if it would just be an “unfortunate comment”.
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@Clarissa
“- I think he was completely right on the ethnic vote. I have no idea why people shouldn’t be able to say the obvious. Was it the word “ethnic” as opposed to “immigrant” that people objected to?”
You are right, but when a separatist talks about ‘ethnic vote’ or ‘immigrants’ s/he walks on eggshells, almost always. People used that comment to show that separatists are racist, hateful, and petty human beings, as one of your readers put it.
I think that saying ‘immigrant’ rather than ‘ethnic vote’ would have been more politically correct.
@Titfortat
“Lol, and the separatist says………”Unfortunate comment”, I wonder if you exchanged the words ethnic and money with Blacks and Jews if it would just be an “unfortunate comment”.”
I think that your comment is a cheap sophism.
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“You are right, but when a separatist talks about ‘ethnic vote’ or ‘immigrants’ s/he walks on eggshells, almost always. ”
– I don’t see how it helps to pretend that immigrants don’t exist or don’t pursue their interests through voting but I know that people tend to get weird whenever anybody does say anything on the subject.
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I think that your comment is a cheap sophism.(O1)
I think your beliefs are that of a closet bigot, so I guess we have each other tagged.
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1) If the idea on a referendum on independence horripilates you so much then vote PQ. A referendum will never happen with them!
2) Charest is not the only thing deeply wrong with the PLQ.
3) Why such a fear of independence? I will never completely understand that fear, whether that fear comes from an immigrant or a ‘pure laine’.
4) Be strategic. In my seat/county (Rosemont) PQ will win anyways so I can vote ‘with my heart,’ but if you vote in a seat/county where there is a close battle, then look at web sites such as tooclosetocall or threehundredeight to vote in a more strategic way. Their predictions are often right on.
5) Try Radio-Canada’s boussole électorale to situate yourself on the political map. I was surprised to see my results!
6) Like it or not, the independence of Québec will always be in our political landscape, even if surveys seem to indicate that not a lot of people care about the independence anymore. If you made the choice of living in la belle province you will have to live with such political reality.
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@Ol: the idea of a referendum does horrify me, but unfortunately it’s far from being the only issue that turns me off. Did you know that there are no French schools on the island that offer more than one hour of English per week? Did you know that many French schools are now policing students during recess to prevent them from speaking any language than French? My daughters goes to daycare with several Anglo kids,yet is not allowed to go to the same elementary schools as her friends. And now the possibility of preventing immigrants and their children from going to English CEGEPs? Potential laws that will prevent anyone who doesn’t speak French to come to the province? I speak French, work in French and often help people who only speak French to find jobs (not easy),yet I constantly feel discriminated against. It sucks.
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” And now the possibility of preventing immigrants and their children from going to English CEGEPs? Potential laws that will prevent anyone who doesn’t speak French to come to the province?”
– I think it would be a lot more honest just to amend the immigration laws and not let anybody who is not a native speaker of French into the province. This would be a lot better than first letting people in and then undermining them in their already difficult immigrant project by cutting them off from education.
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Seems I come across as a Green. Are they even in play?
When it was Ontario in the crosshairs, I was (as is par for the course in things of this type) in the outer region of one of the quadrants. Apparently in Quebec, the social scale is replaced by the “identité” scale. Most likely I’m on the fence due to “ne sais pas” responses.
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I did the boussole and it placed me as 60% in agreement with Parti Liberal du Quebec. And 57% in agreement with the PVQ.
I can’t believe I’m still a Liberal. (For non-Quebecois readers: it isn’t the same to be a Liberal in Quebec and in the US.)
“Apparently in Quebec, the social scale is replaced by the “identité” scale.”
– I guess since I’m an immigrant, I get placed with the Liberals automatically. 🙂
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Oh, and importance incluse. So, where do Quebecois of that sort hang out?
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@Sister: I believe that you already know my opinion on mandatory elementary and High Schools in French. It has to be done because of the very distinct nature of Quebec society.
That being said, preventing someone to go to an anglophone CEGEP is downright absurd, so absurd indeed that it divided the PQ caucus.
I also remember that when I was teaching in a very multiethnic High School the scool principal and many professors were pushing the French-only agenda in the school. But many teachers (even separatists like me) were strongly against it. I even spoke Spanish and English to many of my students at school, but I was also severe with French. These kind of linguistic tensions and debates are to be expected in such a particular society as Quebec, and especially in Montreal.
ESL teaching is appalling in Quebec. Horrendous. I agree with you. And trying to find a job without speaking English must be very hard, as English is the unofficial language in many workplaces in Montreal! You probably know that already. Besides, is it true that many companies look for McGill/Concordia diploma only because of the language or any other reason? I have heard of that story by friends who are perfectly bilingual but were discriminated against while applying for good jobs because they went to the wrong university. I am not joking.
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@Ol
Considering most businesses worldwide deal in English I would imagine that it would be essential to speak the language. Try getting a good paying job in Ottawa without being able to speak french, aint gonna happen. As far as Quebec being such a “distinct” society, have you ever been to Newfoundland.? Quebecois have nothing on a Newfie. 😉
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@Titfortat
“Considering most businesses worldwide deal in English I would imagine that it would be essential to speak the language.”
I have never said that knowing English is not ‘essential.’
“Try getting a good paying job in Ottawa without being able to speak french, aint gonna happen.”
Perhaps, but I was talking about Montreal, not Ottawa (I assume that you are thinking about public function). The fact is that we can easily speak little French and having a very good paying job in Montreal.
“As far as Quebec being such a “distinct” society, have you ever been to Newfoundland.? Quebecois have nothing on a Newfie.”
We are all different and we are all special; this kind of discussions about differences are very boring. But I think that when it comes down to languages, differences do become very meaningful. We understand our world through languages.
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“The fact is that we can easily speak little French and having a very good paying job in Montreal.”
– Or speak little to no English and have a very good paying job in Montreal.
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“- Or speak little to no English and have a very good paying job in Montreal.”
In some sectors of the economy yes, absolutely.
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. We understand our world through languages.(O1)
And you “welcome” more of the world when you dont try to maintain your own at the expense of others.
101
I think separatists/your fear of losing french(Quebecois culture) allows you to do some very egregious things.
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“- Or speak little to no English and have a very good paying job in Montreal.”
For example, listen to François Legault speaking English. His speeches are already vague in French, so his English leaves you speechless:)
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Do you like Shakespeare? Shakespeare’s plays are my field of study. I was wondering if you like reading and/or seeing Shakespeare plays. It would be interesting to see how you relate to them as an eastern European.
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If this were Facebook, I would change my status to “It’s complicated” when asked to describe my relationship with Shakespeare. 🙂
I love the language. Oh, the beautiful, breath-taking, immortal language!
But I don’t get the plots much. Maybe it’s because I never had a chance to take a single course on Shakespeare but the plots seem contrived and unexciting.
Now I will ask everybody to guess what my favorite Shakespearean play is. If you read a few of my posts, you will be able to guess easily.
Also, feel free to share what your favorite Shakespeare play is!
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I’m guessing Richard III?
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It’s my second favorite. 🙂
But think my personality. . . identifying with a character. . . 🙂
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Hamlet?
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Macbeth?
I know which ones are definitely not your favourites: The Taming of the Shrew andThe Merchant of Venice.
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“Macbeth?
I know which ones are definitely not your favourites: The Taming of the Shrew andThe Merchant of Venice.”
– Wow, you know me well! Both on the favorite and the least favorite. 🙂 🙂
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We share excellent taste. 🙂
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Not crazy about Merchant of Venice? So much then for my tentative guess of Portia as the character to whom you refer? My “Which Shakespeare Character Are You” is probably Prospero from The Tempest.
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If anything, I’m the Caliban. Hello, a post-colonial subject here. 🙂 The Ukrainians never colonized anybody.
But I’m totally Lady Macbeth, of course. 🙂
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Oh somehow I just knew “Which Shakespeare Character Are You” would be a simple matter of seek and you shall find. There’s one at a site called “quizfarm,” which sounds like another term for Facebook spam. Ah, requires registration, a definite red flag. Smarmy-ass website. Thought the BBC would be a more trustworthy website than something that calls itself “quizfarm,” but they sort of force you into a gender box right off the bat… Quibblo is quick and to the point, and diagnosed me as Cassio. What say you folkx? Am I Cassio?
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According to the quiz, I’m Othello. Of course, Othello is a child compared to the heights of jealous rage I can achieve but we are going into the right direction.
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I’m a Shakespeare professor, and even I think that some of the plots of Shakespeare’s plays are terrible. Mainly, it’s the comedies. I don’t enjoy the comedies much, honestly. But I love the tragedies and histories. In fact, the histories, to me, are the absolute best of Shakespeare’s works. Of course, this is a matter of taste, but if you find the plots to be trite, boring, or old fashioned in the comedies (and maybe even the tragedies and romances), then you might really love the histories — assuming you haven’t read all of them. Richard III and Henry V are the best known histories, but my favorite is Henry IV, Part One.
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Anthony and Cleopatra must have the most annoying characters ever. If you haven’t already read it then avoid being annoyed by a man and woman who seem incapable of rational behaviour.
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I haven’t read it, actually. Now I feel good about not reading the play. 🙂
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Describe your opinions/beliefs about the psychosomatic nature of illness.
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As I said on a previous occasion 🙂 : “It always shocks me how whenever I mention that I have a cold, a sore throat, or an ear-ache, the immediate (and the only) response from my American friends and colleagues is, “What are you taking?”, “Have you taken anything?”, “I have this great medication in my office, let me give it to you.” The idea that when you don’t feel well you need to “take” something is completely weird to me. Sickness is your body’s way of telling you that there is something going on that it doesn’t like. Instead of trying to shut it up with Tylenol or some other crap like that, one would be much better served trying to analyze what is wrong and addressing the root of the issue.”
I believe that it is important to listen to your body when it tries to tell you through sickness that something is not OK instead of trying to shut it up with pills and potions. I believe that it is a lot more productive to find the actual reason why you are sick and address that. The way to do this is always through asking yourself, “What does this illness make me do and what does it prevent me from doing?” The honest answer to this question is the first step on the way to recovery.
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I agree with all that you said here. But, when you brought up the “psychosomatic nature of illness,” it was in response to my saying something about how sometimes our bodies do stuff that we can’t control entirely with our minds. Some of us are influenced by perfectly healthy hormonal changes, some of us have brain chemistry that makes us hear things “literally” as the default rather than as loopy-flowy-figurative-indirect-languagey-poetic-communications, some of us have trouble with insulin production, some of us… you get what I’m saying.
So, I was curious to know how you thought that illness was something we control with our minds. I had said that when we have a serious fever, our bodies take over in ways we can’t fully control. You seemed to be indicating that when I said that the normal cyclical hormones of my body influence my emotional state that meant I was not in control of my body in some kind of way that you couldn’t connect with. I was trying to say that there are so many ways our bodies “take control” of us that we can only influence with our minds to certain extents, sometimes not entirely (as in, in my opinion, serious fever or illness).
I also think it’s interesting that you seem to make distinctions between the mind and the body in ways I don’t. (In my opinion, the mind is a part of the body. A big and important part, but it’s all chemicals whether it’s hormones exploding my normal emotions or the blueness of a bruise or decision to listen or not listen to someone’s point of view, or the trippy-trance-like state that can come after a really great orgasm.)
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I really agree with this: “I believe that it is important to listen to your body when it tries to tell you through sickness that something is not OK instead of trying to shut it up with pills and potions.” I would be working a job that was entirely wrong for me, not be in a relationship and identify according to a defunct ideology had I not listened to my body. Listening is vital. But this implies developing a different sense of identity from the one that remains resolute in one position, as if rigidity were a sign of strength.
To the despisers of the body will I speak my word. I wish them neither to learn afresh, nor teach anew, but only to bid farewell to their own bodies,—and thus be dumb.
“Body am I, and soul”—so saith the child. And why should one not speak like children?
But the awakened one, the knowing one, saith: “Body am I entirely, and nothing more; and soul is only the name of something in the body.”
The body is a big sagacity, a plurality with one sense, a war and a peace, a flock and a shepherd.
An instrument of thy body is also thy little sagacity, my brother, which thou callest “spirit”—a little instrument and plaything of thy big sagacity.
“Ego,” sayest thou, and art proud of that word. But the greater thing—in which thou art unwilling to believe—is thy body with its big sagacity; it saith not “ego,” but doeth it.
What the sense feeleth, what the spirit discerneth, hath never its end in itself. But sense and spirit would fain persuade thee that they are the end of all things: so vain are they.
Instruments and playthings are sense and spirit: behind them there is still the Self. The Self seeketh with the eyes of the senses, it hearkeneth also with the ears of the spirit.
Ever hearkeneth the Self, and seeketh; it compareth, mastereth, conquereth, and destroyeth. It ruleth, and is also the ego’s ruler.
Behind thy thoughts and feelings, my brother, there is a mighty lord, an unknown sage—it is called Self; it dwelleth in thy body, it is thy body.
There is more sagacity in thy body than in thy best wisdom. And who then knoweth why thy body requireth just thy best wisdom?
Thy Self laugheth at thine ego, and its proud prancings. “What are these prancings and flights of thought unto me?” it saith to itself. “A by-way to my purpose. I am the leading-string of the ego, and the prompter of its notions.”
The Self saith unto the ego: “Feel pain!” And thereupon it suffereth, and thinketh how it may put an end thereto—and for that very purpose it is meant to think.
The Self saith unto the ego: “Feel pleasure!” Thereupon it rejoiceth, and thinketh how it may ofttimes rejoice—and for that very purpose it is meant to think.
To the despisers of the body will I speak a word. That they despise is caused by their esteem. What is it that created esteeming and despising and worth and will?
The creating Self created for itself esteeming and despising, it created for itself joy and woe. The creating body created for itself spirit, as a hand to its will.
Even in your folly and despising ye each serve your Self, ye despisers of the body. I tell you, your very Self wanteth to die, and turneth away from life.
No longer can your Self do that which it desireth most:—create beyond itself. That is what it desireth most; that is all its fervour.
But it is now too late to do so:—so your Self wisheth to succumb, ye despisers of the body.
To succumb—so wisheth your Self; and therefore have ye become despisers of the body. For ye can no longer create beyond yourselves.
And therefore are ye now angry with life and with the earth. And unconscious envy is in the sidelong look of your contempt.
I go not your way, ye despisers of the body! Ye are no bridges for me to the Superman!—
Thus spake Zarathustra.
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Detroit’s Wayne State University Looks to Destroy Tenure
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Breaking news: Pussy Riot members got 2 years in prison !
Heh.
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They will be released right after the Sochi Olympics. I wonder if that’s a coincidence.
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On a side note… FEMEN activists, in a gesture of solidarity with Pussy Riot, destroyed (with a chainsaw) a cross erected in memory of all victims of communism.
Link to the video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG6-6HD7_HA
I REALLY hope THEY get a sentence for this.
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“I REALLY hope THEY get a sentence for this.”
– I agree! I had no idea about this. I’m horrified. There are so many things they could be doing to defend the rights of women in the country. Idiots! Stupid idiots!
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What a stupid move! I suspect that Putin will be able to use this to quash legitimate protests, and then, when the Western media and celebrities erupt over Pussy Riot, he will be able to use that as proof that the West doesn’t respect Russian autonomy and law.
If that’s the case, then Pussy Riot supporters in the West are being played like a harp out of Hell by the man they claim to be protesting and humiliating. Irony.
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“I suspect that Putin will be able to use this to quash legitimate protests, and then, when the Western media and celebrities erupt over Pussy Riot, he will be able to use that as proof that the West doesn’t respect Russian autonomy and law.
If that’s the case, then Pussy Riot supporters in the West are being played like a harp out of Hell by the man they claim to be protesting and humiliating.”
– And you are absolutely right. This is what Putin is going to use as his stump speech now. “We defend our holy religious faith and our national heritage from these punks who were sponsored by the West to destroy everything that holds Russia together.” And the majority of people in Russia will believe him.
The guy worked for the KGB. He is no fool. THis is what people keep forgetting.
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2yrs in prison for that. What a completely fucked up system. 😦
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2 years for this. Try not to rush to judgment about cultures that are completely unknown to you.
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2yrs in prison for that? What a completely fucked up system. 😦
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Because it has beautiful historical buildings does nothing to change the fact that 2yrs in prison for vandalizing is COMPLETELY FUCKED UP. Im not rushing to judgement, Im there. Blow the buildings up without killing anyone and you might be able to justify the 2yrs. Outside of that, FUp!
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I specifically gave the link to a post that explains that this building is not historical in any way. It was built just a few years ago. It is also quite ugly. This isn’t about architecture. It’s about the places where it is or isn’t acceptable to self-promote. If this isn’t punished, tomorrow we’ll see them dance at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
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@Clarissa
I dont think I ever told you. I lived with a Ukrainian woman for 2yrs. I even learned a little bit of the lingo. Russian too. Though it does make a native speaker giggle when I attempt to speak it. 🙂
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I have no issue with punishment. But in my opinion and many others the punishment far, far outweighs the crime. If you think that 2yrs in PRISON for that is justified, well, I question your logic and sanity.
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Such a passionate involvement with the criminal justice system of a country you are in no way connected to is a bit scary, to be honest.
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Really? Injustice is just that. Does it matter if it is here or Russia or United States or Bosnia or Britain or Canada? Stupid knows no borders. If that scares you then I would suggest seeing someone about that.
It seems the sentence was for, wait for it, Hooliganism. Interesting.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2012/08/2012817111157592391.html
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“Really? Injustice is just that. Does it matter if it is here or Russia or United States or Bosnia or Britain or Canada? Stupid knows no borders. If that scares you then I would suggest seeing someone about that.
It seems the sentence was for, wait for it, Hooliganism. Interesting.”
– This entire comment sounds very unhinged. Who am I supposed to see? What is supposed to scare me? Stupidity? Borders? Why should anybody wait for anything if the charges have been known for months?
Hate crimes normally get more severe sentences in all civilized countries than crimes without that component. Is that news to you?
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I will agree to disagree with you. Truce. 🙂
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Peace. 🙂
Oh Canada. . . 🙂
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I thought you’d be interested in knowing, Clarissa, that the Western media outlets, like Huffington Post, have picked up the story about the FEMEN protesters desecrating that cross, but are not explaining what the cross represents, and are presenting it merely as a protest against the Russian Orthodox Church. People I know on Facebook have been posting the video and praising them, so I’ve been telling them the true story of the cross, and asking them if they would condone vandalizing a Holocaust memorial in a similar way in order to protest Obama’s support of Israel.
I’m a little afraid of what the answer will be.
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” People I know on Facebook have been posting the video and praising them, so I’ve been telling them the true story of the cross, and asking them if they would condone vandalizing a Holocaust memorial in a similar way in order to protest Obama’s support of Israel.”
– Thank you for trying to educate people!
During the Stalin era, people would signal their rejection of the (truly vile) practices of the Orthodox Church by desecrating crosses. Often, those crosses would mark the common graves of people who died hundreds of years ago defending the country from invaders. As a result, many of these burial places became unmarked and were later paved over. The destruction of these crosses benefited nobody.
This is an example of cutting off your own nose to spite the face.
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I bet Russian and Ukrainian media will pick up the story and comments (hell, our Polish media did, and guess what the comments about FEMEN members are. “Useful idiots” are the tamest).
Putin’s men only have to translate some posts from HuffPo to show how ignorant Westerners are, how they disregard milions of victims and how the only way for Russian people is to support Putin, who is “a bulwark defending people from western oppression”.
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Seems chess grand-grandmaster Gary Kasparov is somehow involved in the Pussy Riot melee. Re. Pussy Riot members, it seems one thing that has come up in this thread is the question of whether the punishment fits the alleged crime. If it’s to be two years, perhaps we should ask: two years of what?
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Kasparov enjoys making an idiot of himself. He often poses as this human rights champion which nobody but the Westerns buy.
With the attention Pusey Riot has drawn, I’m sure they will be OK in prison. The less famous prisoners, however, live in horrible conditions.
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I’m sure they will be OK in prison. The less famous prisoners, however, live in horrible conditions.(Clarissa)
It is amazing how even incredibly bright people have the ability to justisfy things regardless of how bad it may be. 😦
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“It is amazing how even incredibly bright people have the ability to justisfy things regardless of how bad it may be.”
– What is “it” in this sentence? Ability? But if it’s bad, then what’s so amazing about it?
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@Ol: If your reason for supporting bill 101 stems from the desire to protect the French language and the uniqueness of our province, then we are on the same page. In my dream world, however, my daughter would receive her education in both languages equally (ie: 50-80% of classes in one language and the rest in the other). Instead of promoting the politics of hate and division, why not declare a rule where people have to get educated in either French (all the power to those who prefer that) or minimum % of French ( I would even be happy with that minimum being 80%). What annoys me is that (a) French schools offer no English as we both agree and (b) the division of who is and is not allowed to go to which school. It does not promote French, but rather kills all desire to truly assimilate in the francophone québécois culture/society and creates unnecessary conflict.
To answer your question, I have never had s client question a candidate based on the language of the university they went to. McGill certainly has the prestige and that’s always a noticeable advantage (albeit small). ETS on the other hand is a clear winner for those who want an upper hand looking for a tech job upon graduation.
What I have heard many times, however, are clients discrimination on the basis of candidates’ last names. A former client only wanted to interview candidates with francophone last names, for example. However, discrimination exists on both sides of the coin and I really truly believe that this ongoing conflict/debate is not helping anyone.
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@Sister
Policy doesnt maintain a language, people do. My one issue with Quebec separatists is the fact that they forget that french is spoken throughout our beautiful country. Acadian, Franco ontarian and other regions. My son goes to french school and my daughter is in a full immersion program. My wife is French Canadian. Separatists are not concerned with french, they are concerned with their own little world. They forget that the uniqueness of Quebec is also owned by the Scottish and Irish immigrants and many others. They have many things in common including their disdain of the British. 😉
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“Policy doesnt maintain a language, people do. My one issue with Quebec separatists is the fact that they forget that french is spoken throughout our beautiful country. Acadian, Franco ontarian and other regions. My son goes to french school and my daughter is in a full immersion program. My wife is French Canadian. Separatists are not concerned with french, they are concerned with their own little world. They forget that the uniqueness of Quebec is also owned by the Scottish and Irish immigrants and many others. They have many things in common including their disdain of the British. ”
– I have to say, what a beautiful comment. A beautiful, beautiful comment.
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I think you just made me blush. 🙂
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@Sister
I think that somehow I agree with you!
What kills me about the English and French languages requirements in High Schools are the very low expectations. And that is our fault as a society. With our anti-intellectual legacy we are still a society of illiterates.
This may sound very vague but here it goes: I dislike the idea of having ‘to protect’ French in Quebec. To me it is like a ‘mal nécessaire.’ In my ideal world French would not need to be protected in Quebec (in Canada I think it is hopeless already) because people who know, speak, and use French would support it enough.
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“- Thank you for trying to educate people!
During the Stalin era, people would signal their rejection of the (truly vile) practices of the Orthodox Church by desecrating crosses. Often, those crosses would mark the common graves of people who died hundreds of years ago defending the country from invaders. As a result, many of these burial places became unmarked and were later paved over. The destruction of these crosses benefited nobody.
This is an example of cutting off your own nose to spite the face.”
You’re welcome! The response was typical. “Oh, I’m sure they didn’t mean it” was one (I highly doubt Ukrainian women would not know the symbolism of that cross) another was “Isn’t that what punks do, is destroy cultural icons?” or “I support the sentiment, but maybe another cross would have been a better choice.” When I pointed out that this would nicely dovetail with Putin’s efforts to crack down on free speech even MORE in time for the Olympics in Moscow, I was dismissed with a hand-wave.
I’m done. I’m ashamed that my fellow Westerners and North Americans are proudly wearing their ignorance on their sleeve in this manner.
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” When I pointed out that this would nicely dovetail with Putin’s efforts to crack down on free speech even MORE in time for the Olympics in Moscow”
– Exactly! But does anybody care? It’s much easier to cheer on without even trying to analyze what anything actually means.
“I’m ashamed that my fellow Westerners and North Americans are proudly wearing their ignorance on their sleeve in this manner.”
– But it’s good that there are intelligent people like you who are open to learning about other cultures. This gives me hope.
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“All crucifixes are better used for fire wood.”
“what a great protest. I don’t know which is more impressive to me; her topless action with aa chainsaw (please be careful) or the fact that she chopped down a crucifix”
“What is the story of this crucifix.? Symbols and Flags aren’t that important to me”
” Good for them—beautiful bare chested women attacking a cross with a chainsaw–I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful sight in my life. It could only be better if they were pagan priestesses.”.
All taken from HuffPo.
With friends like these…
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Wirbelwind: these quotes are so egregiously stupid that they scare me.
But I’m glad there are intelligent people like you who see through the idiocy.
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I bet Putin’s men will translate some comments to show Russian people that actually Western countries hate them and everything they believe in. Nothing helps propaganda more than “useful idiots”.
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And you are absolutely right. These are great propaganda opportunities.
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Saudi Arabia plans new city for women workers only
Businesswomen behind 5,000-job scheme designed to give women greater independence while maintaining segregation
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/12/saudi-arabia-city-women-workers
Austin schools to move forward with single-sex school plan
Despite mixed reaction from the community, and reservations from some board members, the Austin school district will continue to move forward with a plan for two single-sex schools to possibly bring to a board vote next month.
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/education/entries/2012/08/14/austin_schools_to_move_forward.html
Austin, what the hell for?
What do you think of single-sex schools, Clarissa?
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I went to a single sex school for three years. it was a riot. Really good. Personally, I’m rather glad I went to one, although it possibly contributed to my lesser ability to see others as fundamentally different from myself.
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Judging by the photograph of you with school friends I remember seeing, your school was probably very different from usual single-sex school in US. Definitely very different from what the Austin school district envision.
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Definitely very different from what the Austin school district MEMBERS envision.
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//it possibly contributed to my lesser ability to see others as fundamentally different from myself
How?
I thought and keep hearing the opposite idea that being apart, interacting with other gender only in one’s family, may lead to Othering. Many children don’t have numerous friends and at such a school would hardly interact with opposite gender people of their age.
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Just that being with girls was sufficient to have a very vibrant social life. We had no concept of any other kind of social life made up of any other kind of people.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/20309795572/photos/
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Thought you’d be amused and horrified by the new ridiculousness that the Haredim are taking to preserve their gynophobia:
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/weird/NATL-Blurring-Glasses-Keep-Women-out-of-Ultra-Orthodox-Mens-Sights-165498136.html
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Also: There are now Pussy Riot t-shirts:
http://shop.amnestyusa.org/s?defaultSearchTextValue=Search&searchKeywords=pussy_riot&Action=submit&utm_source=aiusa&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Merch_Aug12_Email
Looks like the band themselves aren’t the only ones milking this situation to make money and self-promote now…
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It looks like Julian Assange is destined to be the finest house guest in all of Ecuador!
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My creative website:
http://elisabeth.blogs.telrock.org
https://polldaddy.com/js/rating/rating.js
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