Kevin Ryan in Tokyo

Category: Learning

  • First Person in College Humor

    POV means Point of View. There are now 2 or 3 short, very funny, videos about college life using a first-person point of view. This means that we can hear what the person is thinking. The one I like best is the bored student in the classroom. Please remember, this is college humor, so things like sex and drinking come up often at this site.

  • Speaking abilities evolved from fish

    It seems the ability to speak started evolving from fish. The rudimentary capabilities of neurons and brain structure indicate this. Read a LiveScience article, and the Cornell University publication about Professor Andrew Bass that is heading up the team in this research.

  • I’m offically ashamed

    This American from Texas wants to base citizenship on learning English. Look at the sign. She needs to learn a thing or two. Article at SFgate, discussion on Digg and here is one of my favorite comics on this issue: xkcd.

  • Judge orders convicts to learn English

    A judge in Pennsylvania has ordered 4 robbers who needed translators to learn English in one year or get put in jail for two years.

    WILKES-BARRE – Learn English or go to jail.

    That’s the succinct directive Luzerne County Judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. made as part of his sentence to four criminals on Tuesday.

    The defendants – Luis Reyes, Ricardo Dominguez, Kelvin Reyes-Rosario and Rafael Guzman-Mateo – all needed translators when they appeared in court to plead guilty to criminal conspiracy to commit robbery. It led to Olszewski leveling the unusual condition.

    He sentenced them each to four to 24 months in the county prison, but paroled three of them because they have already served at least four months.

    But in order for them to avoid the 24 months in prison, Olszewski ordered the men to learn to read and write the English language, earn their GED, and, within 30 days of release, get a full-time job while on parole. The defendants, who range in age from 17 to 22, are to return to court in one year with their parole officers to take an English test, according to Olszewski’s order.

    “If they don’t pass, they’re going in for the 24 (months),” Olszewski said.

    This is from the local newspaper.

  • Can you do this? 21 different accents

    An actress shows off her linguistic talent by doing a self-introduction in 21 different accents of English.