April is Mathematics Awareness Month.
The American Mathematical Society, the American Statistical Association, the Mathematical Association of America, and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics announce that the theme for Mathematics Awareness Month 2008 is Math and Voting.
as Sharon pointed out before, Pennsylvania isn't much different than New Jersey when it comes to English Only bullshit. So, in the interest of fair balance, here is the PA bill.
Pennsylvania House Bill 1958 P.N. 2716:
Providing for the English language as the official language of the Commonwealth.
It is the purpose of this act to preserve, protect and strengthen the unifying role of English as the official language of this Commonwealth.
English is hereby recognized as the official language of the Commonwealth and shall also be designated as the language of official acts of government.
The Commonwealth shall make no policies expressing a preference for any language other than English or diminishing or ignoring the unifying role of English as designated in this act
Any person who is a resident of or doing business in this Commonwealth shall have standing to sue any agency or official of the Commonwealth to seek a declaratory judgment as to whether this act has been violated and injunctive relief therefrom. A qualified person may file suit even if the Attorney General or other appropriate official of the Commonwealth has not filed such a suit, and the suit may be brought on behalf of all citizens of this Commonwealth.
The provisions of this act shall not apply to the following:
(1) When Federal law imposes contrary provisions.
(2) When the public safety, health or justice requires the use of other languages.
(3) Instruction in foreign language courses.
(4) Instruction designed to aid students with limited English proficiency in their transition and integration into the education system.
(5) The promotion of international commerce or tourism.
(6) To provide interpretation for hearing impaired individuals in American Sign Language.
(7) When using terms of art or phrases from languages other than English.
(8) For informal and nonbinding translations or communications among or between representatives of government and other persons if this activity does not affect or impair supervision, management, conduct or execution of official actions and if the representatives of government make clear that these translations or communications are unofficial and are not binding on the Commonwealth.
This act shall not be construed in any way to infringe on the rights of citizens to choose their own primary language, in the use of language for private conduct, nor shall this act be used to dictate language policies for the operation and administration of organizations or businesses in the unregulated private sector.
No less a figure than Benjamin Franklin circulated pamphlets expressing alarm that German settlers, now representing a third of the colony’s population, were failing to learn the language of their English neighbors. ‘Great disorders and inconveniences may one day arise among us,’ he warned, unless the Germans could be assimilated:Those who come hither are generally of the most ignorant Stupid Sort of their own Nation, and as Ignorance is often attended with Credulity when Knavery would mislead it, and with Suspicion when Honesty would set it right; and as few of the English understand the German Language, and so cannot address them either from the Press or Pulpit, 'tis almost impossible to remove any prejudices they once entertain. (Franklin, [1753] 1961: IV, 483–484)
Public uses of German, he added, such as advertisements, newspapers, street signs, legal contracts, and court interpreters, only made the situation worse. Concerned that ‘few of their children in the Country learn English’ (IV, 484) – most were being educated in German – Franklin helped to establish a network of English-language schools under the guise of providing religious instruction. German parents were initially enthusiastic, but when the assimilationist purpose of these ‘charity schools’ was revealed, they refused to send their children (Bell, 1955).
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman JOHN E. ROONEY
District 39 (Bergen)
Assemblywoman ALISON LITTELL MCHOSE
District 24 (Sussex, Hunterdon and Morris)
Assemblywoman MARCIA A. KARROW
District 23 (Warren and Hunterdon)
SYNOPSIS
Provides that English shall be the official language of the State.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act designating the English language as the official language of the State and supplementing chapter 9 of Title 52 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The English language is designated as the official language of the State of New Jersey.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman MICHAEL J. DOHERTY
District 23 (Warren and Hunterdon)
Assemblyman RICHARD A. MERKT
District 25 (Morris)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman McHose, Assemblymen Russo, DeCroce, Rooney and Thompson
SYNOPSIS
Includes same sex marriages among marriages declared void; provides that New Jersey will not recognize marriages in other jurisdictions which are void in New Jersey.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act prohibiting same sex marriages and amending R.S.37:1-1 and supplementing Title 37 of the Revised Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. R.S.37:1-1 is amended to read as follows:
A man shall not marry any of his ancestors or descendants, or his sister, or the daughter of his brother or sister, or the sister of his father or mother, whether such collateral kindred be of the whole or half blood. A woman shall not marry any of her ancestors or descendants, or her brother, or the son of her brother or sister, or the brother of her father or mother, whether such collateral kindred be of the whole or half blood. Persons of the same sex shall not marry. A marriage in violation of any of the foregoing provisions shall be absolutely void.
(cf: R.S.37:1-1)
2. (New section) A marriage solemnized in any other county, state or territory, if valid where solemnized, is valid here unless it is a marriage that would be prohibited and declared void in this State pursuant to R.S.37:1-1 or R.S.37:1-10.
3. (New section) Marriage between persons of the same sex is against the public policy of the State of New Jersey.
4. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill provides that marriages between persons of the same sex are prohibited and void in New Jersey. The bill additionally provides that a marriage solemnized in any other county, state or territory, if valid where solemnized, is valid here unless it is a marriage that would be prohibited and declared void in this State pursuant to R.S.37:1-1 (which would include same sex marriages) or R.S.37:1-10 concerning New Jersey's policy of not recognizing common law marriages.
This bill expressly affirms public policy in support of marriage and makes clear that marriage is limited to marriage between a man and a woman. The bill further provides that same sex marriages and others not recognized in this State, whether or not sanctioned by another state, are not recognized in New Jersey.
I am currently reading The Wealth of Nations and it's surprisingly good. Sure there are the long tedious bits about the price of silver, the price of wheat, and the price of wheat dipped in silver. But then you come across things like this, and you're all, "Holy fuck, he DID NOT just say that!"
But the rate of profit does not, like rent and wages, rise with the prosperity, and fall with the declension of the society. On the contrary, it is naturally low in rich, and high in poor countries, and it is always highest in the countries which are going fastest to ruin. The interest of this third order, therefore, has not the same connexion with the general interest of the society, as that of the other two. Merchants and master manufacturers are, in this order, the two classes of people who commonly employ the largest capitals, and who by their wealth draw to themselves the greatest share of the public consideration. As during their whole lives they are engaged in plans and projects, they have frequently more acuteness of understanding than the greater part of country gentlemen. As their thoughts, however, are commonly exercised rather about the interest of their own particular branch of business. than about that of the society, their judgment, even when given with the greatest candour (which it has not been upon every occasion), is much more to be depended upon with regard to the former of those two objects, than with regard to the latter. Their superiority over the country gentleman is, not so much in their knowledge of the public interest, as in their having a better knowledge of their own interest than he has of his. It is by this superior knowledge of their own interest that they have frequently imposed upon his generosity, and persuaded him to give up both his own interest and that of the public, from a very simple but honest conviction, that their interest, and not his, was the interest of the public. The interest of the dealers, however, in any particular branch of trade or manufactures, is always in some respects different from, and even opposite to, that of the public. To widen the market, and to narrow the competition, is always the interest of the dealers. To widen the market may frequently be agreeable enough to the interest of the public; but to narrow the competition must always be against it, and can only serve to enable the dealers, by raising their profits above what they naturally would be, to levy, for their own benefit, an absurd tax upon the rest of their fellow-citizens. The proposal of any new law or regulation of commerce which comes from this order, ought always to be listened to with great precaution, and ought never to be adopted till after having been long and carefully examined, not only with the most scrupulous, but with the most suspicious attention. It comes from an order of men, whose interest is never exactly the same with that of the public, who have generally an interest to deceive and even to oppress the public, and who accordingly have, upon many occasions, both deceived and oppressed it.
I've been involved with Project Literacy US for over a year, first as a tutor and then as a board member. Bergen County PLUS is a coordinated effort to increase the level of public consciousness on the issues of adult literacy. In addition, Bergen County PLUS provides qualified volunteer tutors to teach and guide adults in need of basic reading assistance. At present there are approximately 45 tutor-student teams meeting weekly. There is also a waiting list of students that need a tutor that is about two or three times as long as those being served.
I know that literacy is often low on the list of social concerns. I mean, how hard is it to learn how to read? Kids do it all the time! But the thing is, low literacy skills are correlated with a host of problems such as, higher poverty rates, lower wages, more public assistance use, and higher health care expenses (See the results of the National Assessments of Adult Literacy (NAALs)). I'm not saying that teaching an adult to read will necessarily lift them out of poverty. However, not being able to read proficiently will only make it that much harder for someone to make a better life for themselves.
So, if you're in Bergen County, NJ and would like to contribute to PLUS you can contact them at plusb@aol.com. You can also spend some cash at the Annual Gala on October 13, 2007. I'll be there!
Project Literacy U.S. is happy to announce its
Fourth Annual Gala
An Evening in Tuscany
Saturday, October 13, 2007
at The Skylands Castle
Ringwood, New Jersey
Honoree: Mary Higgins Clark
Music by the Infernos
**Black Tie**
Tickets available by calling 201-489-7066
Major credit cards accepted.
All the proceeds benefit adult literacy.
