Answering the phone WAS: Licensing snafu

[Mike Schwartz]

> > I would guess that some historical patterns will hold and reoccur,
> but other
> > influences, such as instant communication and new mediums and media
> every
> > day are changing things.
> 
> Being raised a Southern white boy, it took a tour of duty in the
> Navy and exposure to different cultures to convince me that the way
> 
> Bill Akers

     Around the time of the Revolutionary War, the official language in the
U.S. almost became German, and not English.  As I recall, it was by just one
single vote that English because the official language. As more Spanish
speaking people immigrate to certain areas, I fear there may be local
municipality conversions to Spanish as the official language, and then
perhaps even state-wide conversions in places like Texas and California. 

     It's difficult for me to work up in Quebec, Canada, because the people
up there insist on holding some meetings in French and are indignant when
they find out I don't speak French.  I have bumped into the laws where the
initial web page that a company presents to the public MUST be in French. 

     I'm glad the Navy expanded your horizons.  In college, I had similar
experiences.  The world is a global economy, although the language barriers
are very real.  Unfortunately, there are lots of people who have not gone to
college or had any experiences outside their immediate geographic area.  For
example, a couple of my younger brothers just think that almost everybody
who wasn't born and raised in this area of Wisconsin should be shunned as
"outsiders", even if it means not doing (profitable) business with them.

Mike Schwartz