US Steel prices have cost franchisees in my company and our team thousands of extra dollars due to the import taxes, which were imposed. Let me tell everyone when they raised the cost of steel we were forced to seek to build the truck beds out of other materials, and once businesses do that many times they never go back and thus the steel industry is forever damaged. Steel is a strong substance and good for building things out of but it is heavy, costs gas mileage, rusts, leaving iron oxide streaks on the exterior paint. The only reason steel is still used for so many things is that the cost is still less than other materials of it’s same strength, watch out in the future for nano tubes, five times lighter, three to 100 times stronger by volume.
If the steel companies in this country cannot run more efficient and get their labor unions to perform efficiently to compete with these future materials then we cannot expect other industries to use it as the material of choice. In our company, we can build the beds out of fiberglass, plastic or composite in the future nano-tubes. In our company we will be able to build uni-body shells and make them more ascetically pleasing. So when International Trade Team negotiators or an administration decides to set forth import taxes or artificial price increases to save an industry they need to be careful that they do not inadvertently hurt other industries.
The steel industry better get their act together if they wish to survive the next two decades or start investing in the new materials themselves. We need Brazil as a trading partner, we need Japan’s economy to return to growth, which is a tough one due to their aging demographic. We should not give a crutch to an industry that is not innovative and lets their workers kick back and do little if any work. Likewise we should not expect such a huge and able workforce to work with their hands tied behind their backs with over regulation such as the insanity of the OSHA standards and laws. Their union is strong and they do not believe in hard work ethic like the competition in their industry from abroad, and all methods are challenged in free markets. We should not support laziness and give a company or small group of companies an edge. Giving away free fish makes even the best of us lazy.
Let’s get our trade policies right? Let’s not make asinine linear decisions with trade. We are all in this together and in free markets survival is about performance, if you have a weak industry and you help them stay lazy they will be moved aside eventually anyway, you cannot hold up inefficient industries forever. I am sure if you go to the library and read up on it you will agree. I know Carnegie would if he were alive still. Think about it.
“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/
More and more software programs, electronic devices, and websites devoted to foreign languages are being developed daily. Why all the excitement? Why would YOU want to learn a foreign language?
Job Advancement - Get the Competitive Edge
Many large corporations and government agencies have positions requiring a second language. In a country like Canada, which is officially bilingual, someone who knows both French and English will have better employment prospects.
Travel
Travel to a foreign country can be exciting - and also very exasperating if you can’t understand the local speech. Many North Americans are somewhat egocentric in this regard, expecting to find English spoken no matter where they are. Although this is sometimes true in larger cities, don’t expect to find English-speakers in small communities.
Relatives
The world is a melting pot of cultures and languages. You probably have living relatives in other countries with whom you could communicate more effectively if you took the effort to learn at least a few words.
Genealogy Research
Some of your ancestors probably spoke a different language. If you plan to search old genealogical records, you will be more successful with at least a basic understanding of your ancestors’ language(s).
Understanding Your Own Language
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once said, ‘Wer fremde Sprachen nicht kennt, wei nichts von seiner eigenen.’ or ‘Those who don’t know foreign languages know nothing of their own.’ Learning a foreign language will give you a much better understanding of English. Your knowledge of English grammar, vocabulary, verb tenses, and sentence construction will improve when you tackle another language.
Self-Actualization and Challenge
If you’ve already been everywhere and done everything - perhaps it’s time to tackle something new. What could be more challenging and rewarding than immersing yourself in another language?
Opera, Poetry, and Prose Appreciation
Artistic works written in a different language often cannot be fully appreciated when translated into English. This is especially obvious when listening to poetry. If poetry is translated into English with a preserved rhyming scheme, the meaning of the poetry is almost always altered. Being able to listen to the original language - with its subtle tones and nuances - will lend to a greater appreciation of the artist.
Culture Appreciation
One can only truly comprehend a foreign culture if the language is also understood. Exactly what is ‘Bratwurst’ or ‘Calvados’? And what about foreign films? Wouldn’t you like to be able to watch something with subtitles - and skip reading them?
Invigorate the Brain
Adults benefit from the brain stimulation produced by language training. Seniors who tackle a foreign language show improved brain function over a period of time. Students who learn foreign languages as children score better on academic tests. There is also evidence to suggest that they may be more creative and resourceful when faced with solving complex tasks.
Learning Teaches You How to Learn
The self discipline and study habits acquired through successful acquisition of a foreign language can be applied to many other aspects of your life.
Studying Abroad
What better way to learn about a country’s culture than to study there? This requires an excellent command of the local language.
Communicate With Someone Secretly in Public
Imagine chatting in public with a friend about something private, knowing that only your friend understands!
Make Online Penpals and Friends
The internet is transforming our world into an intimate global village where you can chat via e-mail, forums, live chat sessions, and audio/video feeds.
Impress a Date?
In closing - male or female - you will make points with your bilingual date by learning a few important words. If your date doesn’t speak a foreign language, he or she will be impressed by the enchanting allure of intimate expressions in one of the ‘romance’ languages.
So - what are you waiting for? Get learning!
Kathy Steinemann is a webmaster who writes for:
* 111 Travel Directory
* 1000 Tips 4 Trips
* A-Language-Guide