Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Meng debuts translation pamphlet

From the Daily News:

Assemblywoman Grace Meng (D-Flushing) is creating a multilingual and multicultural pamphlet providing immigrants with a crash course in English and locals with a way to communicate.

The pamphlet - to be published by year's end - is expected to feature translations of phrases such as "Can you help me please?" and "Are you open tomorrow?" into languages including Spanish and Mandarin.

There will also be a section on courtesy reminding newcomers not to cut in line and not to sell items on the street without a permit.

The pamphlet will not only help newcomers, Meng said, but also encourage longtime residents to shop in stores that speak a different language than they do.

"We want to encourage people to learn the language and to welcome customers whether the stores speak English or not," Meng said.

58 comments:

Jerry Rotondi said...

This is just a rehash of Senator Leonard Stavisky's well intentioned effort from many years past.

It didn't really work then.

It certainly wont work very well now.

I suggest that you do the jobs you were elected to do, Assemblywoman Meng and Senator Stavisky.

Enforce the state law that requires English on all signage.

Failure to do so makes you both accomplices in breaking that law.

So there---I've said my piece.

Now you can both be pissed off at me for speaking the truth that's on the minds of many.

Anonymous said...

If readers really want to make an impact then boycott all korean and chinese businesses until they come around, and throw out all incumbent politicians in the next election. If you can't effectively send this message then stop whining.

Anonymous said...

At least she want to try something - no else is doing so. Bravo.

Anonymous said...

They're (The Asian Community) aren't interested in dealing with us. They want their communities to resemble their homelands. Julia Harrison said it years ago, "They treat us like we're being colonized by them"
Grace Meng is only pandering to them and, coincidentally us in this ill-advised attempt to bridge a gap they don't want bridged

Anonymous said...

Grace Meng is trying?

She certainly is trying everybody's patience.

DO YOUR JOB and enforce the law.

Trying isn't good enough!

WE WANT RESULTS!!!

Jerry Rotondi said...

I repeat, that pamphlet idea was already tried many years ago and
it didn't work.

Why repeat a mistake?

Please, for safety's sake---English as a second language on all signs Assemblywoman Meng.

Anonymous said...

Fughettaboutit...those yellow devils don't care about the round eyes.

Rodney said...

"Why can't we just all get along" (LOL)!

Anonymous said...

We haven't heard from Myra Baird (Flushing's hearse?) yet on the subject.

What does Donald Manes' ravey-fave girl have to say?

Anonymous said...

Who's paying for and printing this boondoggle booklet?

Anonymous said...

It's amazing. This crap idea wouldn't fly anywhere else but here.

I give her a few points for at least trying something which no politician does, but no one attacks one of the root of the problem, which is the law on english signage is not enforced. If we start giving fines to the buisneses for non english sinage it would force them to start understanding some english. However we are letting these people just do whatever they want, having an asian only inclusive community with unreadable scribble on the signs only they can decode on their storefront.

Anonymous said...

Oh...so it's really a travel guide phrase book...like flight attendants hand out on airplanes.

Then, finally admit it you shady pols, Flushing really is an Asiatic colony!

If traveling to Beijing I'm most willing to learn some phrases in Mandarin...BUT NOT IN MY OWN CITY.

Merchants:
YOU SERVE the customer. The customer DOES NOT accommodate you!

Anyway, you've already lost my business ($$$$$$) long ago and I ain't coming back!

Now, let's see if the Oriental shop keepers can survive on only the business they get from their own kind.

Quite a few store vacancies are already springing up along Main Street, I see.

Mehran's big building on the west side is up for lease again.

The old Peck's site is still an empty lot.

That doesn't bode well for the bustling economy of Flushing.

Perhaps Myra Hersh's Flushing Chamber Pot & Business Ass'n. can do some spin doctoring to counteract the trend.

Maybe Wellington Zhou Chen and his friends at TDC Rockefeller Group will save us all when their magic Flushing Commons gets built on Muni Lot #1.

Damn!
I'm laughing so hard, I think I just shit my shoes!

Anonymous said...

Has anyone been in the "NEW World Mall" (formerly Caldors). That place has so anti-white, anti- black and ANTI-AMERICAN it's beyond this world.

There is ABSOLUTELY nothing in that "mall" any American born would need.

Anonymous said...

I do, in affect, already boycott these stores.

They have nothing to offer that I either need or want...just a lot of unsanitary or shoddy goods.

When I want to buy a good quality piece of porcelain, I normally go to "Jade Garden Arts" on Mulberry Street in Manhattan.

When I want a good Chinese meal, I prefer to go to my favorite spots in Manhattan's Chinatown.

At least after I'm finished dining, I can walk around looking at interesting architecture and do some real shopping.

Flushing will NEVER be a tourist attraction.

That's just a bunch of clubhouse BS to keep the likes of a Terri Osborne in continued employment at taxpayers' expense.

Flushing is squalid, architecturally bereft, it stinks and is very far away from the international tourist corridor's spine...the golden isle of MANHATTAN!

A traveler isn't going to take a day out of a tight schedule from visiting midtown and lower Manhattan to come to provincial disappointing Flushing.

Flushing is being promoted in Asia as a nearby transportation hub convenient to the airports.

It's to become primarily just an Asian business center and embarkation point.

I leave you with a newspaper quote from Wellington Zhou Chen, regarding what he really thinks of Flushing:

"....a crappy little Chinatown...."!

Anonymous said...

And where did you learn your English "anonymous #2"?

Anonymous said...

I learned something last year.

Chinese who speak Cantonese do their best to learn Mandarin.

Those who speak Mandarin consider Cantonese speakers low class.

Anonymous said...

Let's talk plainly folks.
It's all about containment.

Clubhouse pols like the Stavisky dynasty cut a deal along with their fellow Democrats 30 years ago.

Let the (I'm sorry to use the following racist term but it conveys the hidden agenda very well) "chinks" fill the downtown hub with mega-development as long as Whitestone, Malba, Beechurst, Bayside, Northeast Flushing, etc. remain low density prime residential neighborhoods.

Anonymous said...

H-m-m-m...
could that be why Chuck Apelian and Gene Kelty remain so active on CB#7...to keep careful watch on protecting their nabes while they trade off and let downtown Flushing go to hell?

It looks that way to me.

Jerry Rotondi said...

Enough with some of these inflamitory comments!

Might I suggest that when a merchant first applies for his NYS tax ID form or license, that they be informed in their native language, that English is required by law on their signage.

If a follow up visit from the state authorities reveal that there was no compliance, then the store owner gets fined.

That's only fair since the merchant was warned in advance.

Then he eats the expense of adding English to his awning, sign, etc.

a Broadway-Flushing resident said...

We once offered Korean business owners who were invited to attend our BFHA general meeting, that we would aid them (gratis) with proper wording, translations, etc. on their store signs.

I really can't say what the final outcome was...if anyone took up the association's good spirited offer.

The Flushing Phantom said...

These pols are just grandstanding and won't take the bull by his horns and enforce their own state laws.

Both Meng and Stavisky are just vote seeking liars!

Toby lost a lot of her old Jewish supporters over the years so now she's got to pander to fill the gap with Asian votes.

Grace...well...she's Chinese.
She won't confront her own law breaking countrymen!

So let's be polite and ineffective and put out a little brochure that doesn't offend the Asian voters they both need.

ENFORCE THE LAW...YOU SCOFF-LAWS!

Maybe Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Italian, Greek, Russian, Indian, Pakistani, etc. automobile drivers should be exempt from fines because they couldn't read the English road signs!

TOUGH SHIT!

Anonymous said...

So the Flushing Chinese are exempt from NYS law and get prime status... while us "olde tymers" (the ghost people-round eyes) get reduced to second class citizenship!

Well, FUCK YOU MENG/STAVISKY!

Anonymous said...

What do you intend to do after your miraculous translation pamphlet doesn't work Senator Tubby and Assemblywoman Graceless?

Will you then enforce your own new York State law?

Or will you find some other phony substitute to facing the music?

UPHOLD THE LAW NOW YOU PHONIES!

Anonymous said...

translating only into Mandarin and Spanish? what about Meng's other ethnic groups in her district, like Russian, Korean, Hindi, Urdu, Iranian, Arabic, Creole, etc., etc.?

Anonymous said...

If Flushing is any representation of a city in China, I will NEVER visit there. Flushing is a cesspool, filthy pigsty...how did we let it get so bad????

Moby Stashitsky said...

How do you say Depends in Chinese?

Dee Truth said...

In these times of economic hardship, I find it difficult to comprehend the fact that taxpayer money is going to a program that caters to those business owners who do not obey the law.

ENOUGH ALREADY!!!

Anonymous said...

The only reason I would go to Flu Shing is to go to the social security office. It was like this 30 years ago.

George said...

Forget the pamphlet and say goodnight Gracie!

Anonymous said...

Who's printing these pamphlets and for how much $$$ and who is paying for it?

Tribune Mike said...

Who's printing these pamphlets and for how much $$$ and who is paying for it?

Who's asking?

Anonymous said...

Who is jerry rotundi ?

Anonymous said...

Who is jerry rotundi ?

Who's asking?

Dee Truth said...

Who is jerry rotundi ?

A man brave enough to post his name to his comments. What's your excuse?

Anonymous said...

This is a recycled idea from the days of the Downtown Flushing Development Corporation (DFDC)some 20+ years ago. Looks like the same pamphlet. It didn't work then and sure as hell isn't going to work today.

What will work is enforcing the New York State law that requires signs to be in the English language.


Selective enforcement of the law is just as bad as breaking the law. Get you head out of the sand Grace and do what you were elected to do. You are a lawyer and a lawmaker - Get the law enforced.

Anonymous said...

Will ya look at that frozen moon faced smile on Meng...holding up her clubhouse party pamphlet like Chairman Mao's little red book!

Where's "Tubby" Stavisky?

Did the photographer leave his wide angle lens at home and couldn't fit her into the photo?

Nope...he was smart...she would have cracked the glass!

Jerry Rotondi said...

I'm just a humble citizen trying to become an even better one---Mr. or Ms. anonymous.

That's cap "J" and cap "R" with a lower case "o" instead of a "u".

Google me for further info.

Anonymous said...

Myra Baird Herce is a recycled relic from the Manes' old Downtown Flushing Development Corporation.

Wasn't she its president?

Didn't Donald Manes get her the chairwomanship of community board 7?

It looks like she served double duty on CB#7 & the DFDC simultaneously.

Now she's a co-director (?) of the Flushing Chamber of Commerce & Business Association.

WTF do they do anyway...just pay her salary?

How many other organizations did Ms. Herce "advise" during her very long tenure...the Chinese Business Ass'n (under Fred Foo), yadda, yadda, etc. ?

Did she pull the printing plates out of mothballs and prompted Meng & Stavisky to re-issue this phony useless, pamphlet?

What a shabby little crew!
A pirate vessel sails smoother!

Anonymous said...

Does this old red dyed broad know all of Flushing's dirty little secrets...including those of the "Chinese secret societies"?

A little...now, what did President Bush call them...oh yes,"enhanced interrogation techniques" could loosen quite a few tongues around some Queens machine clubhouse circles!

Anonymous said...

Yep...send Joe Crowley to Gitmo for some questioning and watch the Democratic Party's house of cards topple.

He'll rat out Toby. The she'll rat out some community board biggies. Then they'll rat out a bloated congressman we all know.

C-r-r-rash!

What a lovely sound...the smashing of the Democratic Dictatorship of Queens!

Anonymous said...

The Chinese Tongs will cut out both Toby's and Grace's tongues if they push for enforcement instead of issuing a pamphlet.

Like her hubby, Senator Leonard...Toby WILL do what she's told!

Moby Stashitsky said...

A little...now, what did President Bush call them...oh yes,"enhanced interrogation techniques" could loosen quite a few tongues around some Queens machine clubhouse circles!

Let's discuss this over lunch at my North Flushing Senior Center. This one's on me!
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Anonymous said...

You mean it's like heated bamboo splinters under the fingernails if our state representatives dare to cross the secret societies?

Anonymous said...

Moby Stavisky should always wear brown shoes.

In that way when she craps all over them, it won't show.

Anonymous said...

Do they serve Kosher pork & bamboo shoots at the North Flushing Senior Center?

Isn't there a money laundromat in the center's basement?

Anonymous said...

Yeah...John Choe who works for Comptroller John Liu audits it twice a year...LOL!!!

Anonymous said...

No tickee, no shirtee!

Anonymous said...

Somebody is trying to bamboo-zel us round eyes into accepting the Asiatic horde's yoke around our necks!.

Al Bundy said...

Moby Stavisky should always wear brown shoes.

In that way when she craps all over them, it won't show.

---------------------------------------------

They're white when she buys 'em!!!

After all:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxODte13OYg

Cheech and Chong said...

Somebody is trying to bamboo-zel us round eyes into accepting the Asiatic horde's yoke around our necks!.

__________________________________________________________

Did someone say Bambu? May we see your papers, please?

Anonymous said...

It used to be the old Flushing Jews took their cleaning to the Chinese laundry.

Now it's the Chinese who are taking the Jews to the cleaners.

The Staviskys now serve their new overlords!

Maybe Toby should learn Mandarin.

Anonymous said...

It used to be the old Flushing Jews took their cleaning to the Chinese laundry.

Now it's the Chinese who are taking the Jews to the cleaners.

The Staviskys now serve their new overlords!

--------------------------------------------------------

Ooooooo! It's looks like you found the chink in their armor!

Anonymous said...

Has anyone ever been admitted to the inner sanctum of Senator Stavisky's district office?

Has anyone been able to find it?

Tony Avella once headed me off at the path to their door when he was their chief of staff rather than let me in.

Now Tony sits under Toby's skirt waiting for his next set of instructions from the Parkside Group.

"Evan, please get me out of here"!

Anonymous said...

It smells like the district office's toilet just backed up.

Or Toby just lost her lunch reading this stuff!

Anonymous said...

In NYC you can file an article #78 (I believe it's called) to force an NYC agency (or politician) to do their job.

Is there such an option on the state level?

If so...SUE both Assemblywoman Meng and Senator Stavisky FOR NOT enforcing the law regarding the signage!

They'll move their fat asses then, for sure.

Anonymous said...

Make sure that this issue stays on the front burner...steaming and sizzling.

Demonstrations should be held around Meng's office Mr. Trikas!

Keep this hot on all the blogs!

Anonymous said...

Flushing is a dump people, its time to move on...a destination of choice? hardly, it is a destination of departure..its fate was sealed years ago..the culprit = Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965

Anonymous said...

But Zhou (Wellington) Chen said that , "Flushing was ripe for the taking".

Don't forget that name ZHOU CHEN, AKA Wellington.

He's likely, the man behind the bamboo shade all these years pulling all the strings.