Re: How to prime kids to learn 3+ languages?

On Sun, 07 Oct 2007 00:28:01 -0700, Seán O'Leathlóbhair
<jwlawler@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in
<news:1191742081.776329.159300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
in sci.lang:

On 7 Oct, 05:02, "Brian M. Scott" <b.sc...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Sat, 06 Oct 2007 13:06:17 -0700, Seán O'Leathlóbhair
<jwlaw...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in
<news:1191701177.226983.309080@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
in sci.lang:

On Oct 6, 8:23 pm, "Brian M. Scott" <b.sc...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Sat, 06 Oct 2007 11:57:27 -0700, Seán O'Leathlóbhair
<jwlaw...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in
<news:1191697047.943920.197580@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
in sci.lang:

On 6 Oct, 17:44, "Brian M. Scott" <b.sc...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

On Sat, 06 Oct 2007 02:47:33 -0700, Seán O'Leathlábhair
<jwlaw...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in
<news:1191664053.908323.7510@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
in sci.lang:

[...]

I forgot to mention the possibility of a "faithless elector".

Not really a problem. If anything, it mitigates the
winner-take-all system that applies in most states.

That the elector may not do what he is told is an advantage?

What did I just say?

You said "Not really a problem".

And at that point you stopped reading?

Well, it is hard to continue reading when you have fallen
out of your chair in amazement.

Not my problem. I recommend that you not post when
incapacitated.

You guys seem so sure that your system is perfect that you
will defend even its most ridiculous points. [...]

Where have I said anything to suggest that I consider the
system perfect?

Well, if he was representing me but voted for the wrong
candidate

He isn't representing me even in theory; he's representing
my state. (And in recent years this has meant that he
definitely *isn't* representing me.)

If he does not represent you (even indirectly) then how
does your vote have any effect on the selection of the
president?

'[E]ven indirectly' is your addition.

In fact my vote, all else being equal, *is* very unlikely to
have any effect on the selection of Ohio's electors, let
alone on the selection of the president: the outcome would
almost certainly be unchanged if I changed my vote while all
other votes remained the same. This is true of any one
person's vote in any reasonably large electorate. Indeed,
it's true of any two votes, or any three votes. But that's
a very simpleminded view of the matter, one that (a)
confuses 'very small' with 'zero', (b) ignores the heap
paradox (one grain of sand is not a heap, two grains of sand
are not a heap, ...), and (c) ignores the potential
influence on policy of the apparent strength or weakness of
the opposition.

And none of this has much to do with the point that I was
making: that because Ohio's electors are chosen by a
winner-take-all system, they represent the state as a
discrete unit.

If your vote has no effect on the president then how do
you call your system democratic?

(1) I did not say that my vote has no effect on the the
president, or even on the selection of the president.

(2) I have not used the word 'democratic'.

then I would see it as a problem. However, since you are
American and happy with the system [...]

You're half right: I am indeed American.

You are not happy with the system? If not then why do you
defend it so vehemently?

Where have I 'so vehemently' defended it? Are you confusing
me with Peter?

[...]
.

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