Arab villages. Villages that start off with Arab inhabitants do not allow Jews to rent or buy property there. It's not a problem. But it makes these villages Arab only.
Likewise, there are Jewish villages. Few of these have Arab inhabitants, but it is not forbidden for them to move in.
Writing and speaking are effective at establishing long term memories, it's why we do it for other things, but a language learning beginner has no idea if what they're writing makes sense or if there's any subtle mistakes in how they're pronouncing words or how they're putting them together, etc.
Language learning experts don't recommend you start speaking/writing unless you have a coach or have reached an intermediate level so that you can discern when something sounds native or not. That way you can self evaluate with recordings, etc.
It is an effective tool for learning, but for self-learning you're gonna be shooting yourself in the foot long term. You should only do it if you have, say, a partner that speaks the language and doesn't mind correcting you all the time.
For Japanese I recommend that you do learn how to write kana/kanji from the start, and even some vocab if you want. But stop there. Don't write sentences, don't try to talk to japanese people on those apps/discord etc. and wait until you're at an intermediate level to do it, otherwise you'll form some very bad habits that are very hard to undo.
I think the concern about forming bad habits is real, but avoiding any writing until you’re “ready” can delay fluency.
Something that worked for me was limiting it: just 65 words a day in the target language. It forces you to think, but the risk of fossilizing mistakes is low because it’s short.
I even built a little site for this (65words.com) and it’s been fun seeing others use it. Curious if Japanese learners here think this approach makes sense.
Every language course I’ve taken has involved has some active production of language. Day 1 of my Japanese class in HS was introducing ourselves to one another. Language exams also require proof of correct and accurate production of language.
Do you have any citations for the idea that it’s better not to practice actually using the language while trying to learn it?
Making mistakes and seeing exactly how you’re being misunderstood is the best thing for improving your speaking skills. There’s absolutely no reason to wait before speaking, as wanting to be understood provides incredible motivation to correct issues as you discover them.
>has no idea if what they're writing makes sense or if there's any subtle mistakes
These days AI can tell you if it makes sense and the subtle mistakes you are making. I think this view point is outdated now that everyone has a personal language tutor in their pocket.
I've used several LLMs to do translations and they're very hit/miss, specially in very high context languages like japanese. I'm not sure recommending their usage for a beginner is good advice, it's better than nothing for sure, but still not a replacement for a human coach.
I'm sorry but this is one of the most incorrect things I have ever read. If I could downvote it twice I would.
It's true that Japanese tend to be more strict about accurate production of phonology than many other language speakers but speaking and writing are huge enablers of becoming better. It's really not that hard to unlearn bad pronunciation especially in an immersive context. Also most Japanese have a tendency to gently correct a speaker if you use the wrong phrase, particle, or construction.
Obviously if you've been self-learning your first few conversations with real people are going to be rough and so maybe avoid dense topics like Japanese attitudes on the JSDF. But if you end up in a light conversation circle where you talk about your favorite foods you'll be fine.
Fixing a bad habit is very hard, and I clearly stated it that outputting is very helpful, but you need to be constantly corrected or you'll develop bad habits that are very hard to fix. I'm not a native english speaker and I'm in a community of immigrants in the US and most of them have developed very bad habits that are fixable, but would require major effort and time on their part. The main ones being that they do word-level translation from their mother language to english and keep the same sentence structure, or borrowed words that are common in both languages are pronounced in a half-half sense, i.e. they change how the words are pronounced to make them sound more english, but the vowels still sound spanish/portuguese/etc.
Also note that these are not barriers to being understood, but they are barriers to be fluent in the language. These people have lived in the US for 10+ years and communicate in english just fine, humans need very little language to communicate most things. But if they need to be taken seriously in jobs that require constant communication, becoming fluent should be a long term goal, and outputting early is bad. It's best to wait for 1-2 months until you get a grasp of sound and flow of the language.
You do realize the Input Hypothesis is a bit of a crack hypothesis right? You can't claim that "language learning experts don't recommend" something when in fact that theory is controversial and has little evidence backing it up.
"Writing" here probably doesn't refer to writing things by hand with a pen, but rather the act of composing emails, text messages, essays and so on.
Even just forgetting about Kanji for a moment, just like in other languages, written Japanese is not identical to spoken Japanese and requires practice if you want to be able to compose natural sounding texts, emails, letters, and so on.
If only there is a native speaker who is willing to correct your mistakes.
Output (writing and speaking) is a big beginner trap for language learners. If you can't afford a private tutor or moving to another country, my suggestion is just to skip it until you're able to understand daily conversation in the target language.
People are going to tell you making mistakes makes you improve. Which is true, if and only if you know what mistakes you made.
Let's say Hamas returned the hostages. What would happen next? What makes that the "winning move?"
My guess is that Netanyahu would say that the war can't end until "all the terrorists are dead" (impossible), and the Palestinians have given up the one bit of leverage that they have.
> Let's say Hamas returned the hostages. What would happen next?
The international terms of the debate would change. The domestic political situation in Israel would change.
Netanyahu’s hand would be significantly weakened by losing hostages as a justification to his electorate and even the IDF. Hamas, however, would face pointed questions over why it didn’t recognise that the hostages were a liability sooner (I frankly question if they were ever an asset at all—Sinwar’s purpose, to draw in Iran, was a dud).
If you want to get conspiratorial, consider that the one red line Netanyahu has respected is Hamas’ leadership’s security in Doha.
I don’t think such a middle ground is really realistic. There are plenty of apps that are just thin wrappers around their backend calls and are no more capable of working offline than I am of going without food or water. But if a program is capable of being fully functional offline for 30 days, then what does it really need to call home for, other than as a confirmation of payment?
Well, you're right it isn't realistic, that's why everything is a SaaS nowadays. That's what the second order effects of this kind of expectation generates.
>Other than as confirmation of payment
This is the wrong way around, imo. Confirmation of payment is like the #1 problem a business has to solve. If the business can't reliably turn a profit by running their software on your machine, then they will run it on their own machines, no matter how much it degrades the user experience. The end result is a hollowed out market for anything local and not offered totally for free, which sadly and ironically excludes a great deal of valuable software.
I live in Westchester County NY, quite possibly the living breathing heart of Reform Judaism in the US (outside the UES anyway). Plenty of genuine supporters of Israel here, even among the Gentiles. I try hard to avoid the topic even with friends. I don’t really want to hear a defense or denial of genocide.
The nature of a 'teaching professor' job can vary a lot, but the positions are often very precarious and unstable, as I can attest from personal experience.
I think you may have misunderstood my point. Being a great teaching professor is an invaluable contribution to students lives and the world, but it is “absolutely worthless” as far as promotion and tenure is concerned.
My point is not “don’t respect teaching profs”, quite the opposite in fact: Recognize that the teachers that had an impact on you in university that had an impact on you not only to no career benefit, but potential to their own professional detriment.
Same goes for truly great technical managers. All the technical work they enable is through their own personal devotion and at best causes no professional growth, at worst takes away energy that should be spent elsewhere.
"Managing down isn't actually that hard to get the hang of if you have strong technical skills and reasonable communications skills. But managing down is very similar to being a good teaching professor: absolutely worthless and largely done at your own peril."
If your reply above is what you meant to say, that was not at all clearly communicated.
I'm fascinated by these. Who are the people operating these places? Where do they live, what's their lifestyle? Who are the customers, what are their stories?
I don't have a definitive answer, but there's probably demand for these outside of adventure tourists trying to get to some of the most remote road-connected points in the world.
The James Bay Road exists essentially as a service road for a bunch of hydroelectric infrastructure that's part of Quebec's James Bay Project. I've never gotten past planning a trip up, but I gather much of the traffic on these roads are transport trucks delivering supplies to these remote locations (beyond what can normally be shipped up there by Hydro Quebec's aviation fleet, which as I understand is mostly wet-leased from Air Inuit and can land on many of the unimproved strips near the major project sites).
Anyway, little outposts like these might've been maintained by either Hydro Quebec on an emergency basis for these transports, or by volunteer (sort-of) trail associations, or by the province itself, or a combination of the three.
If you want to know what virtually any wildly remote road is like, one of the best places to check is usually where people doing motorcycle/off-road adventures post, like advrider.com
Someone, somewhere, has almost certainly gone there and done that, with pictures, documentation, and enough mentions of other things that you can look up for more details.
But for a quick summary of what I got out of it/minor additional research:
- A few company (Hydro-Quebec) outposts of a few buildings each for workers out there at the hydro sites that are why the road exists and some rural airstrips for the same purpose. Presumably like any other isolated worksite in that sense.
- An outfitters near the mid-point with lodging, supplies, etc that seems to serve both the workers traveling the route and some tourism. Looks like some very good fishing out there and I see other notes on the internet of people trekking out that way to fish - both indigenous people and tourists. (Also quite pretty if you like the taiga + lakes environment).
- There appear to be some other travel groups that have some private camps in the region and fly people in for fishing via floatplane, too.
- Doesn't appear to be any other permanent settlement along the road.
Ha, I always thought it was weird that Atherton didn't have sidewalks but I didn't know it was prohibited by law.
I guess it kind of makes sense in a way, though. The thing about Atherton is the lot sizes are enormous, so even if they did have sidewalks it wouldn't make sense to walk anywhere. It would take forever just to walk three houses down the street and you'd just be walking past a giant wall or hedge with nothing to look at. Sidewalks would be wasted.
One of the primary reasons some communities view sidewalks negatively is due to the desire to maintain a certain aesthetic or character. For example, in suburban neighborhoods developed post-World War II, the absence of sidewalks was intended to convey a "high-class" non-urban image by discouraging walking, aiming to preserve a rural or non-urban feel . This perspective is still found in communities where residents oppose sidewalks to retain the "country" or "rural" ambiance of their neighborhoods, equating sidewalks with urbanization and a loss of their neighborhood's character. (https://ggwash.org/view/37058/ask-ggw-is-there-any-reason-no...)
Economic factors also play a significant role. Sidewalk construction and maintenance can be costly, with prices ranging significantly based on the location, materials, and additional features like reflective paint, countdown clocks at intersections, benches, and trash cans needed to comply with safety and accessibility standards . (https://housenotebook.com/why-do-some-neighborhoods-have-no-...)
Atherton, California, is known for its strict zoning regulations, a characteristic that is deeply intertwined with the town's unique characteristics and the values of its community. Here's why these regulations are particularly strict:
Preservation of Community Character: Atherton is a community that prides itself on its distinct suburban and residential character, characterized by spacious lots, lush greenery, and a tranquil atmosphere. The strict zoning regulations help preserve this character by controlling development density, ensuring that the town maintains its spacious and green aesthetic. This includes restrictions on how much of a lot can be built upon (lot coverage) and how close buildings can be to property lines (setbacks).
Privacy and Exclusivity: Many residents of Atherton value privacy and exclusivity, which are facilitated by large lot sizes and regulations that limit the proximity of homes. These regulations help maintain the sense of seclusion and private space that is prized in the community.
Property Values: Strict zoning regulations can also protect property values. By maintaining the town's exclusive and upscale character, these regulations help ensure that properties in Atherton remain highly desirable and valuable.
Environmental Protection: Atherton is home to many trees and natural landscapes that contribute to its appeal. Strict zoning regulations help protect these natural resources, ensuring that development does not compromise the town's environmental quality. This includes preserving open spaces and ensuring that new constructions or modifications respect the existing natural landscape.
Community Input: The residents of Atherton have a significant say in the town's zoning and development policies. The strict regulations reflect not just the desires of the town's government but also the collective preferences of its residents, who are often involved in the planning process through public hearings and community meetings. This community involvement ensures that the regulations align with the residents' vision for their town.
Adherence to the General Plan: Like many municipalities, Atherton's zoning regulations are designed to be consistent with its General Plan, a comprehensive document that outlines the town's vision for growth and development. The strict zoning regulations are a tool to implement this vision, guiding development in a way that aligns with the community's goals for the future.
The combination of preserving the town's character, ensuring privacy, protecting property values, conserving the environment, and incorporating community input all contribute to the strictness of Atherton's zoning regulations. These rules are a reflection of the town's priorities and the collective vision of its residents, aimed at maintaining the quality of life and the distinctive identity of Atherton.
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