The Exploding Pagers

[taiwan_girl]

@bachophile

Sorry for my ignorance, but is Israel like northern Europe where most people are pretty good in English even though it is not their native language?

[jon-nyc]

Not even close. More like Italy or France.

[taiwan_girl]

@jon-nyc said in The Exploding Pagers:

Not even close. More like Italy or France.

thanks. I think it would be an interesting place to visit for history. I am good at making hand gestures to get my point across so not too worried about language. LOL

[George K]

@taiwan_girl said in The Exploding Pagers:

I am good at making hand gestures to get my point across so not too worried about language.

OK then...

[bachophile]

@jon-nyc sorry but I think you are wrong there. I know Italy well and Israel is so much more Anglophile than Italy. Not even close.

Of course it’s a question of degree but pretty much everyone has basic English and those with higher education have good English, because it’s an absolute requirement for admission to university. In any field.
And even many who have perfect English. Almost accent less.

It’s not just that. Israelis love all things American. It’s really different from Italy and esp France who seem to condescend to America. Israelis see America as a role model and try to emulate in many ways.

Also it helps that a good chunk of the population has spent time in America.
Also as opposed to Italy where tv and movies are dubbed, here everything is original language so all the kids grow up on original language media.

Now in certain sectors, esp ultra orthodox, u may find people without any English but that’s outliers.

So there you go

[bachophile]

Btw TG, if you are really interested , the absolute best podcast on life here and it’s relationship with the Jewish diaspora, it’s called “unholy, two Jews on the news) available on all podcast media, and new episode every Friday. Mainly Current events analysis.

[jon-nyc]

@bachophile

The EF English Proficiency Index puts them below Italy, Spain, and South Korea

https://www.ef.edu/epi/

[taiwan_girl]

@bachophile said in The Exploding Pagers:

Italy where tv and movies are dubbed,

I remember the first time I went to Italy and went to a movie. I was amazed at how good the dubbing was. It really looked like they were speaking Italian - they matched the mouth movements so well.

@bachophile said in The Exploding Pagers:

the absolute best podcast on life here and it’s relationship with the Jewish diaspora, it’s called “unholy, two Jews on the news) available on all podcast media,

Thanks!!

[taiwan_girl]

@jon-nyc said in The Exploding Pagers:

@bachophile

The EF English Proficiency Index puts them below Italy, Spain, and South Korea

https://www.ef.edu/epi/

I would like to know how they do that. Not sure I agree with it.

For example, India has 13(?) official languages but the one common one is English. I suppose if you look at the total population, including the poor, illiterate ones, then maybe.

Also, ranking South Korea above Thailand (and by quite a bit) does not match up with my experience. Of course, Thailand has a much larger population of poor people, so that may dis-help with the ranking.

[George K]

[Tom-K]

Hmmm, I think I'm going to tear up that, "Apply now to be the next head of Hezbollah" flyier I just got in the mail, sent to Occupant!

[Renauda]

The Mossad must have infiltrated every nook and cranny of Hezbollah to pull off this continuous succession of highly successful wet ops.

[Tom-K]

Sometime or other Hezbollah and those that love them have got to figure out they are WAY outclasses.

[Renauda]

@Tom-K

In a real world one would think that. In the collective mind/fantasy world of Islamic fanatics that can never be so.

[Mik]

"We've been trying to reach you about heading up a terrorist army. Press 1 for Hezbollah, 2 for Hamas"

[taiwan_girl]

@Tom-K said in The Exploding Pagers:

Hmmm, I think I'm going to tear up that, "Apply now to be the next head of Hezbollah" flyier I just got in the mail, sent to Occupant!

555

[jon-nyc]

[taiwan_girl]

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/08/politics/qatar-hamas-doha-us-request/index.html

Qatar agreed in recent weeks to kick Hamas out of its country following a request from the US to do so, capping off months of failed attempts to try to get the militant group – whose top leaders reside in the Qatari capital of Doha – to accept a ceasefire and hostage release deal in the Israel-Hamas war, US and Qatari sources told CNN.

With efforts to pause the war – which has been a top priority for President Joe Biden – firmly stalled, US officials informed their Qatari counterparts about two weeks ago that they must stop giving Hamas refuge in their capital; Qatar agreed and gave Hamas notice about a week ago, sources said.

“Hamas is a terrorist group that has killed Americans and continues to hold Americans hostage,” a senior administration official told CNN. “After rejecting repeated proposals to release hostages, its leaders should no longer be welcome in the capitals of any American partner.”

[jon-nyc]

Big if true.

[Mik]

Good idea. Should have been done long ago. Like many administrations ago.