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| Penn State Goes on a First-Round Tour of the NFL, NBA and NHL Drafts |
| Posted on Monday, June 30 @ 00:00:23 PDT (4 reads) | |
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Penn state goes on a first-round tour of the nfl, nba and nhl drafts
penn state recently had a fascinating draft week, producing first-time, first-round picks in two sports. With that, penn state became just one of two schools to plant a flag on a quirky stat.
which colleges could claim first-round picks in the 2025 nfl, nba and nhl drafts? That would be two: penn state and michigan. It began with the nfl and nba drafts, where penn state and michigan were among six schools with first-round picks, according to redditcfb.
two days after the nba draft, where yanic konan niederhauser became the nittany lions first first-rounder, penn state made more history. Jackson smith, a whl player who will join the nittany lions mens hockey roster this season, was selected 14th overall by the columbus blue jackets. Smith also became penn state hockeys inaugural first-round draft pick.
with that, penn state joined michigan as the only two schools with first-rounders in each of the nfl, nba and nhl drafts this year. But penn state didnt stop there, adding a first-round pick in a fourth sport. Heres a look at penn states first-rounders this year.
nfl draft
abdul carter: the new york giants made carter, penn states all-america defensive end, the no. 3 overall pick of the 2025 draft. Carter and the giants began their relationship early in the draft process, and the pick seemed destined. It also reinforced carters move to switch from linebacker to defensive end for his junior year at penn state.
before the 2024 season, carter said he made a financial decision in changing positions. He was a two-time all-big ten at linebacker and a consensus all-american at defensive end after leading the nation in tackles for loss (23.5).
nfl scouts and analysts spent three months floored by his tape. Espn ranked carter as the drafts best available player overall. The athletics dane brugler wrote in his nfl draft guide
that carters production matches his traits. Nfl network analyst brian baldinger called carter an impactful player, and you have to gameplan for him.
if you don’t gameplan for him, you’re in trouble, baldinger said at penn states pro day in march.
tyler warren: the penn state tight end could have declared for the 2024 draft after a productive season. Instead, he returned to set a school record with 104 receptions, win the mackey award as the nations top tight end and go no. 14 overall to the indianapolis colts. Warrens success allowed penn state coach james franklin to make a recruiting pitch.
this is one obvious positive of nil, franklin said on a recent episode of the penn state coaches show. What i mean by that is, you have a lot of guys every year who are third- or fourth-year players, and they’re trying to make the decision of whether they should leave early to go to the nfl or come back. And in the old days when we were making these decisions, they would have to turn down third-, fourth-, fifth-, sixth-round money in the nfl to come back to college for nothing.
so now youre able to say, let’s not worry about that, because we can help with some of that. And let’s just make the best decision for you and your family, your education and your nfl future, and you’re not asking players to walk away from significant money in the nfl. I think tyler warren is a perfect example of that.
nba draft
yanic konan niederhauser: who could have guessed last november that a transfer from northern illinois would become penn states first first-rounder? The one-year starter led the big ten in blocked shots and penn state in rebounds before jumping into the drafts deep end with his combine performances in june. Suddenly, the switzerland native drew attention as a potential first-round pick.
the los angeles clippers had niederhauser on their radar since he was 15, though, and drafted him at no. 30 overall.
at 15, he came onto the scene to our international guys, clippers general manager trent redden said at the press conference. ... He played on an under-16 team and he was still 6-1. Two years later, yanic was 17 and 6-9, growing eight inches in less than two years. You can see it with his play that hes still learning how to play with this massive frame that he has thats a freak of nature.
nhl draft
jackson smith: penn state is capitalizing on the new ncaa rule allowing canadian hockey league players to compete in college. The nittany lions 2025 roster will feature smith, a standout defenseman from the whl who was selected 14th overall by the columbus blue jackets.
smith recorded 54 points (11 goals, 43 assists) for the tri-city americans of the whl last season. The 6-3, 190-pound defenseman played 130 games for tri-city over the past two seasons, totaling 18 goals and 83 points. Before joining the blue jackets, smith will play at least one season for penn state, which reached its first frozen four last season.
pll draft
matt traynor: not to be forgotten, the penn state mens lacrosse star went in the first round (no. 6 overall) to the new york atlas in the premier league lacrosse draft. Traynor was the big ten offensive player of the year after leading the conference in points and goals and propelling the nittany lions to the ncaa semifinals.
traynor made his professional debut with the atlas just days after the ncaa semis and has scored seven goals in his first five games. |
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| Eustace High School: 83% of the 466 students not on college track in 2023-24 sch |
| Posted on Monday, June 30 @ 00:00:23 PDT (7 reads) | |
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Texas state board of education vice chair pam little (2024) | pamlittle.Com
texas state board of education vice chair pam little (2024) | pamlittle.Com
texas education agency (tea).
the tea considers students to be on track for college if they demonstrate mastery of the course content through the state of texas assessments of academic readiness (staar). Students who meet, but do not master their grade level are prepared to progress to the next grade, but not yet on college track.
in the 2023-24 school year, eustace high schools student population was made up of 466 students, of which 349 were white, 91 hispanic, 19 multiracial, and five african american students.
data shows that 19.8% of eustace high school’s hispanic students (18), 16.9% of its white students (59) and 15.8% of its multiracial students (3) had mastered their grade level that year and were on track for college and career readiness, as measured by state academic standards.
in the 2022-23 school year, the tea noted that 411 eustace high school students - equivalent to 87% of the student population - were not on the academic path to college eligibility. This contrasts with 2023-24, when the percentage stood at 83%, marking a 4% decrease from the previous year.
a recent study by wallethub classified texas as one of the least-educated states in the u.S., Ranking it 41st out of 50 in educational quality and student outcomes.
underfunding is a frequently cited challenge facing the states school district. According to a 2024 report from the texas education agency, per-pupil funding has not increased since 2019, despite inflation rates rising by more than 20% since then.
“as a result, many districts in our very own central texas region are being forced to cut back on essential programs, services, consider school closures, and adopt deficit budgets just to provide students with the education that they deserve,” hutto isd trustee james matlock stated in an interview.
school | total students | % on college track |
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eustace high school | 466 | 17% |
eustace intermediate school | 374 | 22% |
eustace middle school | 410 | 23% | |
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| Discriminatory American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry and Yale Medical Joint P |
| Posted on Monday, June 30 @ 00:00:23 PDT (6 reads) | |
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Discriminatory american academy of addiction psychiatry and yale medical joint program challenge by equal protection project
hhs grant program is framed around serving specific communities, but it does not require exclusion of individuals based on race or ethnicity, nonetheless aaap and yale have imposed race, color, and national origin requirements on applicants.
the equal protection project (equalprotect.Org) recently reached a milestone — our 100th school, college, or university challenged over dei discrimination, covering over 400 discriminatory programs and scholarships. So far 2025 has been our busiest and most productive year since launch in february 2023 – we are expanding legal staff and moving both vertically and horizontally in the legal challenges we bring.
most of our civil rights complaints have been filed at the department of education. One goal for 2025 is to expand our horizon into filing civil rights complaints at other agencies which provide federal funding. We recently filed a civil rights complaint against against the american academy of addiction psychiatry (aaap) and yale school of medicine. From the complaint (images omitted):
we bring this civil rights complaint against the american academy of addiction psychiatry (“aaap”) and yale school of medicine (“yale”) for their administration and promotion of the reach minority fellowship (“reach”), pursuant to an hhs grant, which discriminates based on race, color, and/or national origin, in violation of title vi of the civil rights act of 1964 (“title vi”) and section 1557 of the affordable care act (“section 1557”).2
the reach program
aaap, in partnership with yale, offers reach—a one-year training program for minority healthcare professional students focused on improving care for racially and ethnically underrepresented minorities (urms) with substance use disorders, aaap received a grant from the u.S. Department of health and human services to fund this fellowship. Although the grant is titled the “minority fellowship program” and emphasizes “outreach to urm medical students and residents,” its terms do not mandate race-based selection criteria. Instead, the stated purpose is to “serve racial and ethnic minority populations,” and participation is not limited by race.
while the grant language references an “intensive recruitment strategy” focused on underrepresented medical students and residents and institutions “with missions oriented toward the underserved,” these descriptions relate to outreach efforts—not eligibility restrictions. The goal is to build a workforce of culturally informed physicians with expertise in addiction medicine, which the grant says will “improve outcomes for minority populations.” In short, the program is framed around serving specific communities, but it does not require exclusion of individuals based on race or ethnicity.”3
reach program benefits
fellows receive up to $104,000 in funding for their fellowship position, along with travel, accommodations, and per diem to attend the in-person welcome workshop.4 they are also provided with additional support to attend one addiction conference—$1,500 for trainee scholars and $1,200 for fellow scholars. Each fellow is matched with a professional mentor for quarterly remote meetings focused on career development, as well as a local mentor at their home institution for project-related guidance. Throughout the year, fellows complete a scholarly project with oversight and support from the reach advisory board.
reach program eligibility requirements
aaap and yale have imposed a race, color, and national origin requirements on applicants. “[A]pplicants must be…from [a] racial/ethnic minoritized population (i.E., Black, african, or african american, non-caucasian hispanic or latinx, american indian or alaska native, native hawaiian or pacific islander).”5
yale participation
yale university contributes to the reach program through a mandatory one-week intensive course for all scholars.6 this training focuses on structural factors that drive health disparities in addiction and co-occurring mental disorders, and how to address them. “Working with yale university, the reach program provides training in culturally-informed care in the area of behavioral health and medicine.”
yale was chosen to lead this effort through its addiction psychiatry and addiction medicine fellowship programs.7 according to the reach website, “yale was chosen to work with aaap to lead this effort, specifically the addiction psychiatry (adp) and addiction medicine (adm) fellowship programs at yale school of medicine, as they offer a diverse network of physicians, psychologists, and advanced health professionals with expertise in providing culturally-informed care….”
as we do in all our civil rights complaints, we then lay out in great detail why the program violates the law and called for an investigation:
the reach program as implemented by aaap and yale violates title vi, by discriminating on the basis of race, skin color, or national origin. Furthermore, because reach is a health program, such discrimination also violates section 1557 of the aca.
title vi prohibits intentional discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in any “program or activity” that receives federal financial assistance. See 42 u.S.C. § 2000d. The term “program or activity” encompasses “all of the operations … of a college, university, or other postsecondary institution, or a public system of higher education.” See 42 u.S.C. § 2000d-4a(2)(a). As noted in rowles v. Curators of the university of missouri, 983 f.3d 345, 355 (8th cir. 2020), “title vi prohibits discrimination on the basis of race in federally funded programs,” and therefore applies to universities receiving federal financial assistance. Because yale and aaap receive federal funds, they are subject to title vi.8 ….Section 1557 of the affordable care act (aca) bars discrimination based on race or sex in any health program or activity that receives federal financial assistance. This includes funding from the hhs for programs that provide health education, conduct clinical or health research, or deliver health-related services. The nondiscrimination requirements apply broadly, covering “all of the operations of any entity principally engaged” in administering or providing these types of health initiatives.9
aaap and yale’s explicit race, ethnicity, and/or national origin eligibility requirements are presumptively invalid, and since there is no compelling government justification for such invidious discrimination, their offering, promotion, and administration of these programs violates state and federal civil rights statutes.
we called on hhs to open a formal investigation:
because the discrimination outlined above is presumptively illegal, and since aaap and yale cannot show any compelling government justification for it, the fact that they condition eligibility on race, color, or national origin violates federal civil rights statutes and the affordable care act.
hhs ocr has the power and obligation to investigate aaap and yale’s role in creating, funding, promoting and administering this fellowship and to impose whatever remedial relief is necessary to hold them accountable for that unlawful conduct.
fox news digital covered the story:
yale university is facing a civil rights complaint due to its affiliation with a training program that restricts eligibility to non-white applicants.
the equal protection project of the legal insurrection foundation is filing a civil rights complaint against the american academy of addiction psychiatry (aaap) and yale school of medicine “for their administration and promotion” of the reach (recognizing and eliminating disparities in addictithe program makes clear that applicants must be u.S. On through culturally informed healthcare) program.Citizens and come from “a racial/ethnic minoritized population,” including “black, african, or african american, non-caucasian hispanic or latinx, american indian or alaska native, native hawaiian or pacific islander.”
“regardless of aaap and yale’s reasons for offering, promoting, and administering such a discriminatory fellowship, they are violating title vi by doing so. It does not matter if the recipient of federal funding discriminates in order to advance a benign ‘intention’ or ‘motivation,’” the complaint states.
reach selects scholars for a year-long training session that aims to improve the care of racial and ethnic groups or “underrepresented minorities” with “substance use disorders.” Reach scholars receive up to $104,000 and travel accommodations and have access to mentors.
the fellowship eligibility criteria are discriminatory, the civil rights complaint argues. It argues further that since reach is a health program, it violates section 1557 of the affordable care act and, because yale and aaap receive federal funds, they are subject to violations of the civil rights act of 1964.
the yale school of medicine’s website describes the reach program as “a year-long training program designed to supplement the education of medical students, residents, fellows, and allied health professional trainees in ways to improve health outcomes for racial and ethnic underrepresented minority patients with substance use disorders.”
“the overall goal of the reach training program is to: (1) increase the overall number of racial and ethnic underrepresented minority (urm) addiction specialists in the addiction psychiatry and addiction medicine workforce, and (2) increase the number of addiction specialists adequately trained to work with racial and ethnic urm patients with substance use disorders.” …
“aaap and yale’s explicit race, ethnicity, and/or national origin program requirements are presumptively invalid, and since there is no compelling government justification for such invidious discrimination, their offering, promotion, and administration of these programs violates state and civil rights statutes and constitutional protection guarantees,” the complaint states.
william a. Jacobson, founder of the equal protection project, told fox news digital that “hhs provided a grant to aaap, which partnered with yale, to improve minority community health outcomes.”
“such programming must never be permitted to cross the line into discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin. This line, unfortunately, appears to have been breached at aaap and yale by racially-restrictive eligibility criteria,” he added.
neither yale nor the aaap immediately responded to fox news digital’s request for comment.
reminder: we are a small organization going up against powerful and wealthy government and private institutions devoted to dei discrimination. Donations are greatly needed and appreciated.
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| Lewis Terman on human diversity and intelligence in 1922 |
| Posted on Monday, June 30 @ 00:00:23 PDT (5 reads) | |
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Lewis terman on human diversity and intelligence in 1922
also on immigration, democracy, interventions and more
ive been reading through some old papers and stumbled across an exchange between journalist walter lippmann and lewis terman in 1922 (original). Unfortunately, i wasnt fast enough to convert my tweet into a post, so steve sailer scooped me (and didnt credit me for the find either but i will forgive him). I wanted to add another terman gem from the same year to the public discourse and collective memory. When you read these old texts you get a very clear impression of the continuity in thought in this area, and how early most ideas were realized, even if the evidence was not the best at first.
terman, l. M. (1922).
were we born that way. Worlds work, 44(660), 81-82.
first, he discusses his impression of the public perception of the equality of man (quotes are ocrd using grok, so beware it may have hallucinated something, check the exact text to be sure):
the most characteristic thing about our political philosophy of the last two centuries is the increased respect this period accords to the common man. Nowhere has this philosophy more completely ruled the day than in america. Although there have been and are eddies in the main current of belief, every one of our political institutions professes as its cardinal function that of helping to guarantee to every individual equal opportunities and equal rights with every other. This ideal is the democrat’s religion, and who of us is not, in this sense, a democrat?
however, this political philosophy, which every true american accepts, has been interpreted by many as resting on the assumption that there are no inborn differences of intellectual or other mental functions. Generally speaking, the average person in america is likely to believe that the larger differences he sees among those about him are the product of environment; that the successful business man differs from the unskilled laborer chiefly in his opportunity and his luck; that the difference between the college graduate and the illiterate is entirely a matter of education; that the races of men the world over differ only as their opportunities to acquire the arts of civilization have differed.
he cites no data to support this, and one can question it based on modern data. Take this 2024 survey of people across 30 countries concerning the heritability of various traits:
theres not much difference between countries, not even the communist countries (china, vietnam). So while we dont have any surveys from 1920, his impression was probably false and based on unrepresentative opinions by ideologues perhaps combined with social desirability bias. Its not nice to tell people that their place in life is roughly where their genetics has placed them in the initial lottery, but a cynic might suspect this conclusion from seeing enough failures.
concerning the design of intelligence tests and the generality of intelligence (of g, we would now say):
intelligence tests are based upon the principle of sampling. Just as the value of a mountain of ore can be appraised by assaying a few pocketfuls of material, so it is possible to appraise one’s intelligence by sinking shafts at a few critical points and analyzing the samples thus secured. The more varied the range of mental functions tested, the more valid the test. Standard intelligence scales include tests of memory, language comprehension, orientation in time and space, eye-hand coordinations, ability to find likenesses and differences between familiar objects, arithmetical reasoning, resourcefulness and ingenuity, speed, and richness of mental associations, the capacity to generalize from particulars, etc.
this is not so far off from gottfredsons definition (1994).
after explaining the calculation of iqs using the mental age method -- (performance age / chronological age)*100 -- he notes concerning stability:
the iq is therefore a brightness index, and as such it is very serviceable even if far from accurate. Its significance lies in the fact that it has a marked tendency to remain constant, thus affording a rough basis for predicting a childs later development. Children do not test at 50 today and 100 tomorrow. The average change is not much more than five points, even over a period of years. The six-year-old who tests at four, iq 67, will probably at the age of twelve test not far from eight, or at the age of fifteen not far from ten. Moreover, since there is little mental growth after the age of fifteen, it can be predicted, within fairly well known limits of error, that this hypothetical subject will probably as an adult have a mental age not very far from ten years. In a certain proportion of cases the forecast is not borne out.
what about the impact of education on the scores?
the iq is not chiefly a product of formal instruction. Schooling doubtless affects it to some extent; how much, psychologists are not agreed. The writer can find little evidence that ordinary inequalities of home environment and school training, such as inequalities, for example, as obtain in the average small city of california, invalidate the iq very materially. Twice he has supervised experiments designed to ascertain how much a childs iq could be improved by intensive training. The results in both cases were almost entirely negative. The special classes for backward children in the public schools are such an experiment on an enormous scale. No other pupils in our public schools are taught in such small groups or by such able teachers. But rarely do the iqs of children given these special advantages show significant improvement. Generally speaking, once feeble-minded, always feeble-minded; once dull, always dull. The stories of dullards who become geniuses are not based on mental test evidence. When they are not merely old wives tales, they can readily be accounted for by the fact that the narrow curriculum of the old-time school often failed to interest the child of specialized ability or exceptional originality.
this negative conclusion was reached 64 years before herman spitz excellent 1986 book on the same topic (the raising of intelligence). Modern attempts to improve intelligence are equally30252-3) fruitless, and neither are there useful transfers of learning between not closely related skills (say, from chess to anything useful). Its not just ai that fail to generalize, it is also humans. Generalization is difficult!
concerning the goals of the education system and the country itself:
as an exact unit of measure the iq is anything but satisfactory. Compared to units of measure used by the physicist, for example, it is grossly inaccurate and clumsy. It does seem, however, to be founded on more than the accidental influence of environment and to reflect, in some degree, the quality of native endowment. When our intelligence scales have become more accurate and the laws governing iq changes have been more definitely established it will then be possible to say that there is nothing about an individual as important as his iq, except possibly his morals; that the greatest educational problem is to determine the kind of education best suited to each iq level; that the first concern of a nation should be the average iq of its citizens, and the eugenic and dysgenic influences which are capable of raising or lowering that level; that the great test problem of democracy is how to adjust itself to the large differences which can be demonstrated to exist among the members of any race or nationality group.
written over 100 years ago, this sounds like something you would read on your average hbd blog. How little things change!
what about the evidence for heredity (heritability)?
intelligence is chiefly a matter of native endowment. It depends upon physical and chemical properties of the cerebral cortex which, like other physical traits, are subject to the laws of heredity. In fact, the mathematical coefficient of family resemblance in mental traits, particularly intelligence, has been found to be almost exactly the same as for such physical traits as height, weight, cephalic index, etc. Measurement of twin pairs shows the excess of resemblance for such pairs, as compared with ordinary brother-brother or sister-sister pairs, to be as great for mental as for physical traits. The attempts to explain familiar resemblance on any other hypothesis than that of heredity have not been successful. All the available facts that science has to offer support the galtonian theory that mental abilities are chiefly a matter of original endowment. Even the most extreme advocates of free will do not believe that the feeble-minded could successfully will to become intelligent, the tone-deaf to become musical, or the psychopathic to become stable. The researches of many men, from galton to davenport and goddard, have proved that one family may be characterized by musical genius, another by mathematical genius, another by insanity, another by feeble-mindedness, and so on.
argument by analogy. If everybody agrees physical metrics are heritable, and the mental ones show very similar family patterns, it would be a striking coincidence if the causality was very different. I also mentioned this analogy last time i covered terman. It was unwise of him to lean on goddards work (kallikak family), even it was eventually proved to be sort of correct (most cases of very low intelligence are due not to mendelian variation).
concerning the relationship of scores to social status and the effects of learning:
[...] The intellectual spread of any social or occupational class is very wide and greatly overlaps the spread of any other class. The intellectual gap between the average lawyer or minister and the average unskilled laborer is nearly as great as that which separates the borderline defective from the strictly average person. These are differences which the highest arts of pedagogy are powerless to neutralize. One of the really significant discoveries of modern psychology is that when individuals of differing degrees of ability are subjected to the same training the original differences are more likely to be accentuated than to disappear. Equalization of educational opportunity does not equalize the educational product.
the latter is one of the first formulations of the matthew effect in education, which was only coined in 1968.
concerning the clustering of talent in families and the implications of this:
it is a matter of profound significance that nearly 50 per cent. Of these gifted children [140+ iq] belong to the professional classes. Half our genius comes from the top 4 or 5 per cent. Of the population. The professional and semi-professional classes together furnish 85 per cent. Of the highest 25 per cent. Of our population, and more especially to the top 5 per cent., That we must look for the production of leaders who will advance science art, government, education, and social welfare generally. Obviously, therefore, our civilization of a thousand or ten thousand years hence will depend largely upon the genetic fertility of our low-grade and high-grade stocks.
one of the first writings (an earlier piece by terman from 1916 said something similar) concerning the out-sized impact of the right tail, which we now somewhat incorrectly call the smart fraction theory.
what about the progress of meritocracy and clustering of ability?
under the primitive economic conditions which prevailed in our relatively new and unformed civilization up to fifty or a hundred years ago, superior ability was more evenly distributed through the population than it is today. As the industrial and social situation becomes more complicated, there is a marked tendency, in any country which tries to give equal opportunity to all, for each individual to gravitate to the social or occupational level which corresponds to his native capacity. The more democratic the country, the more clearly this intellectual stratification tends to appear. In many parts of america it is well advanced. It is least noticeable among the newly arrived immigrants of an oppressed race. Freed from oppression these also rapidly form into a social hierarchy based largely upon native capacity, the intelligent, the average, and the incompetent finding their own levels.
this is essentially the bell curve (1994) thesis but 72 years earlier.
so if modifying education doesnt work and anything else that has been tried, then we must look at the fertility rates:
until recently there had not been, at least for hundreds of years, any marked tendency in the civilized countries for one class to produce more children than another. For centuries the average mental endowment of the european and american peoples had held its own. But within the last fifty years a change of sinister portent has taken place. Intellectually superior families are no longer reproducing as rapidly as formerly. Their birth rate is already far below that of the socially incompetent. The average feeble-minded individual gives two or three times as many offspring as the average college graduate. This biological cataclysm, silent but none the less fateful, is rapidly spreading to all civilized countries. If the differential character of our birth rate continues, the day is not many centuries removed when the only surviving stock will be that descended from the least desirable of our present-day population. Granted that this stratum may have considerable potentialities which have not been developed, the prospect at best is not alluring. As a nation we are faced by no other issue of comparable importance. It is a question of national survival or national decay. Unconscious of the danger that impends we haggle over matters of governmental policy that are infinitesimal in comparison with the problem of mental fecundity. The situation will become fully grasped until we have come to think more in terms of individual differences and intelligence quotients.
he goes on to add that the usual legal methods of preventing the feeble-minded reproducing (sterilization laws) will not work because there are too few such people to much affect the overall pattern.
what about the reality of the intelligence differences and democracy with universal voting?
the least intelligent 15 or 20 per cent. Of our population would probably be incapable of mastering, after any amount of instruction, the more difficult portions of the typical eighth grade text in arithmetic, of making any progress in algebra, of getting much sense out of a moderately difficult prose selection, or of understanding the underlying principles of tariff, taxation, bond transactions, or banking. On questions of larger social and national policy they vote blindly or as directed by political bosses. They are democracys ballast, not always useless but always a potential liability. How to make the most of their limited abilities, both for their own welfare and that of society; how to lead them without making them helpless victims of oppression; are perennial questions in any democracy.
bleak! But not much different than the typical ehc stuff from hanania and karlin.
and from that, to a positive mission for the education system, namely, the identification and nurturing of talent:
but instead of worrying over-much about the number of dull people in the world it would be better to concern ourselves more about conserving and developing the vast amount of superior talent that is now wasted. Granted that only 50 or 60 per cent. Of our children have ability to graduate from an average high school; this is still at least five times as many as actually do complete a high-school course. Probably five times as many have the ability to graduate from college as we are now graduating. Large numbers of highly gifted children are not recognized by their teachers as such. The brightest child in a certain school of five hundred pupils, as shown by mental test, was not named by his teacher as the brightest, second brightest, or third brightest in his classroom. The theory that genius will out is but a dangerous half truth. There is reason to believe that a good fraction of our intellectual talent is wasted. There are thousands of individuals whom a better education or a wiser guidance would have enabled to make a far bigger and better contribution to civilization than they are making. It has always been so. The biographies of eminent men and women record with disturbing frequency the accidental nature of the circumstances which have often given the genius his chance. But for the fact that newtons uncle, a graduate of cambridge, one day found his youthful nephew lying under a hedge engaged in the solution of a difficult mathematical problem, it is doubtful whether this most gifted genius of english science would ever have had a university training. Without it even the giant intellect of newton could not have formulated the law of gravitation, invented differential calculus, or demonstrated the refrangibility of light rays. One may be very sure that in case of many a gifted youth the happy accident fails to happen, and that mute inglorious miltons are more than a poetic figure. The greatest problem of conservation relates not to forests or mines, but to the discovery, encouragement, and proper utilization of human talent. In this process discovery is the necessary first step, and this consideration alone would justify the expense and labor of giving every year an intelligence test to every one of our twenty million school children.
unfortunately, in many countries, nothing good has happened here. We have instead dismantled or are in the progress of further dismantling gifted education and any talent programs. All of these programs identify the taboo social gaps. And speaking of that matter, terman on race:
do races differ in intelligence? A nation which draws its constituents from all corners of the earth and prides itself on being the melting pot of peoples can not safely ignore this question. It is axiomatic that what comes out of the melting pot depends on what goes into it. A decade ago the majority of anthropologists and psychologists flouted the idea that there are any considerable differences in the native mental capacities of races or nationality groups. Today we have overwhelming evidence that they were mistaken. Army mental tests have shown that not more than 15 per cent. Of american negroes equal or exceed in intelligence the average of our white population, and that the intelligence of the average negro is vastly inferior to that of the average white man. The available data indicate that the average mulatto occupies about a mid-position between pure negro and pure white. The intelligence of the american indian has also been over-rated, for mental tests indicate that it is not greatly superior to that of the average negro. Our mexican population, which is largely of indian extraction, makes little if any better showing. The immigrants who have recently come to us in such large numbers from southern and southeastern europe are distinctly inferior mentally to the nordic and alpine strains we have received from scandinavia, germany, great britain, and france. The samplings we have received do not, of course, afford convincing proof that the mediterranean race, as a race, is inferior. It is quite possible, for example, that our nordic immigrants have been drawn chiefly from the middle and upper social classes, and our mediterranean immigrants from the lower social strata. It is well recognized that immigration is often differential with respect to social and economic classes. However this may be, we owe it to the future of our civilization to set a minimum mental standard for our immigrants from every source. The literacy qualification is not without value, but it should be replaced by a more reliable measure of intellectual ability. No nation can afford to overlook the danger that the average quality of its germplasm may gradually deteriorate as a result of unrestricted immigration. In this connection it is interesting to note that intelligence tests of chinese and japanese in california indicate that these races are approximately the equals of europeans in mental ability. Unselected chinese children in san francisco test almost as high as unselected white children and notoriously higher than the children of our portuguese and south italian immigrants. An extensive study of the mental traits of california japanese children is now under way.
in fact, the 15% overlap corresponds to about 15 iq, the same result as we have now. Nothing has changed except that the northeast asians are now considered to be a bit smarter and the south/east europeans not so far below the north europeans as sometimes asserted (looking at you, eysenck!). Also, iq nationalism before it was cool.
in his final section, he echoes the findings that men and women are the same average intelligence but differ in specific abilities (language, spatial). I think he was mistaken on this one, but it is probably because he was working with children, and the gap size increases with puberty. Women did not participate in the world war 1 army tests, and we also know that various people constructing mental tests tried to hide the male advantage in their test design. |
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| Marty Pollio leaves JCPS after 8 years as superintendent in Louisville | Educati |
| Posted on Monday, June 30 @ 00:00:23 PDT (7 reads) | |
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Louisville, ky. (Wdrb) -- dr. Marty pollio will leave jefferson county public schools monday as one of the longest-serving superintendents of any large urban school district in the country.
pollio said his eight-year tenure is one of the things he’s most proud of, especially as the average tenure for superintendents in large districts is now under three years.
he led jcps through a turbulent era that included the covid-19 pandemic, a busing crisis, and a construction blitz to build new schools.
“i didn’t know when i got into this job how public it would be,” pollio said in a parting interview with wdrb. “I’d have probably told myself, you know, put on your hard hat, grab your lunch pail, because this is going to be a really, really challenging eight years.”
as the face of kentucky’s largest school district, pollio often wore a smile—even as he faced enormous pressure. His tenure was marked by teacher sickouts, a global pandemic, staffing shortages, and education becoming a flashpoint in political battles.
“every time something happened, you had the feeling of, ‘glad that’s over.’ But right around the corner was another major challenge, pollio said.
still, he said he’s leaving with a sense of pride—pointing to wins like the academies of louisville and new explorer programs.
“getting a kid involved in something at school, curricular, that they love to do and want to be part of—it leads to certification, pollio said. We’re doing it now grades six through 12, and we’re a model for the nation.”
pollio began his jcps career as a teacher, then became a vice principal and principal before rising to the top job. He led with a focus on school culture and climate, believing that when students feel like they belong, teachers see better behavior, fewer fights, and higher achievement.
but he acknowledges he fell short of that vision.
state data shows two-thirds of jcps students are not proficient in reading and math.
“no, i don’t think i moved the needle far enough, pollio said. I don’t know if there is a far enough—as long as you have kids not being successful.”
pollio believes the covid-19 pandemic was a major setback.
“i see covid as being a two-to-three-year process for us—from being out of school for the better part of a calendar year to coming back, and kids really struggled those first 12 months back, pollio said. From behavior to socialization to test scores—kids really struggled.”
despite the struggle, pollio was named kentucky superintendent of the year in 2022. The following year, he received a $75,000 raise, bringing his salary to $350,000.
after covid, pollio turned his focus to systemic change. He pushed to overhaul the long-standing student assignment plan in jefferson county—aiming to give students in louisville the option to attend schools closer to home.
“i believe what we were doing in this community was the most inequitable student assignment plan in the nation, pollio said.
with that push came a construction boom: eight new schools either opened or broke ground under his leadership.
“new technology, new curriculum—all across the district, pollio said. These are changes i’m really proud of.”
but one major change, he now admits, went too far.
in august 2023, jcps switched to nine new school start times and completely remapped bus routes—while also implementing the new student assignment plan.
“that was my toughest time,” pollio said. “I really felt like it was my responsibility to come up with an answer so that kids weren’t missing minutes of school.”
the district didn’t have enough bus drivers to support the sweeping changes, and the first day of school spiraled into chaos. Some students were hours late, some never got picked up at all, and others didn’t make it home until 10 p.M.
“i take responsibility for what happened on that first day,” pollio said. “If i could go back in time, i would have probably taken a slower approach to the new start times and phased it in over 12 months.”
in the midst of the confusion, pollio was absent from the public eye. On the day after the busing meltdown he issued a recorded apology and canceled school until the transportation system could be stabilized.
when he returned the following day, he was pressed about his absence during a press conference and responded emotionally.
“i was a dad yesterday, if that’s what you’re asking me, pollio said. My family has suffered a great deal from me having this job. I think that is really an unbelievable question. I drove my daughter to college while i worked the entire time. I was a dad yesterday morning, on the phone the entire time, dropped her off at college, and came back and worked the entire time.”
looking back, pollio calls it another tough moment. He doesnt regret taking his daughter to college but admits he could’ve responded differently.
“i was very passionate about it. If i could reflect, i might have dialed it down a little bit—but i think i got a lot of feedback from people who respected my decision, pollio said.
the fallout from the busing failures lingered. Jcps later cut routes to most magnet and traditional schools. While some students regained transportation through the hiring of tarc drivers, the district also paid $12 million in stipends to families who had to drive their kids to school.
some critics called for pollio to resign over the transportation crisis. But he insists he was not forced out.
even though hes in his mid-50s, pollio said his 2025 departure had been planned for years—he’s reached 30 years in the kentucky teacher retirement system.
“you get to a point where you know it doesn’t necessarily behoove you to continue on.”
pollio believes staffing shortages are the biggest challenge jcps will face in the years ahead.
“teacher shortages are the biggest issue,” he said.
he warned that it leads to schools hiring underqualified candidates—or worse, no applicants at all. That results in full-time substitutes, rotating instructors, or teachers covering other classes—lowering the quality of education.
but pollio isn’t fading quietly into retirement. He starts tuesday as the new president of the ivy tech community college system in indiana.
the jcps board has hired dr. Brian yearwood as his replacement. Yearwood most recently served as superintendent of columbia public schools in missouri.
asked what advice he would give to his successor, pollio didn’t hesitate.
“you’ve got to have really thick skin in this community, pollio said. You’re going to take some shots and some arrows, and that’s okay. That’s what you sign up to do here. Know it’s coming, and keep your eye on what’s most important—what’s best for kids.”
top stories:
1 dead after crash on clark memorial bridge
man arrested in connection to double shooting near uofl campus that killed 32-year-old
cellphone data, new testimony contradict brooks houcks timeline given to police
copyright 2025 wdrb media. All rights reserved. |
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| The ONLY thing that matters: Jewish Survival | The Jewish Press - JewishPress.co |
| Posted on Monday, June 30 @ 00:00:23 PDT (6 reads) | |
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For generations, american jews have proudly stood at the vanguard of progressive causes—civil rights, reproductive freedom, lgbtq+ equality, gun safety, immigration reform. Our commitment to tikkun olam —repairing the world—is not only a spiritual imperative but a historical instinct, forged through centuries of persecution and a yearning for justice.
but today, we face a crisis so grave, so existential, that our devotion to social issues must take a back seat to the only thing that matters now: jewish survival.
this is not hyperbole. This is not fear-mongering. This is reality.
oct. 7, 2023 represented not just a brutal massacre carried out by hamas and other palestinian terrorists in southern israel; it was a wake-up call. That day reminded jews everywhere that we are never more than one generation away from destruction. The holocaust was not the final chapter in jewish suffering; it was a warning unheeded by those who now minimize jewish pain, erase jewish identity and demonize the only jewish state in the world.
let’s be brutally honest: if jews are exterminated, then it won’t matter where you stood on abortion. If israel is annihilated, it won’t matter how progressive your climate policy is. There will be no one left to vote, to march, to organize. There will be no jewish voice to advocate for others because we will have failed to advocate for ourselves. This is not a call to abandon morality. It is a call to prioritize survival.
across america and the world, we are watching the foundations of jewish safety and continuity crumble. Synagogues are under attack. Jewish students are assaulted and silenced on campuses. Rabbis are targeted. Neighborhoods where jews once felt safe are now plastered with swastikas. University and college administrators, in addition to diversity, equity and inclusion (dei) officers, refuse to denounce antisemitism unless forced. Major cultural figures demonize jews with impunity. And perhaps most tragically, many jews are still clinging to the hope that progressive allies will come to our defense. They will not.
the traditional liberal jewish response—coalition-building, interfaith dialogue, writing op-eds and lobbying behind the scenes—is no longer sufficient. We are in a new era. One where jews must learn, or relearn, what our ancestors always knew: survival isn’t guaranteed, and that nobody else will protect us if we don’t first protect ourselves.
this is not a partisan call. It’s not a dismissal of empathy or compassion. It’s a demand for moral clarity and prioritization. The jewish community must rally around a single organizing principle: continuity and survival. That means standing up unapologetically for israel as the ultimate guarantor of jewish safety. It means supporting jewish students and institutions, arming ourselves with knowledge and, when necessary, self-defense. It means demanding accountability from the political, educational and cultural institutions that have failed to protect us. And yes, it means calling out antisemitism wherever it exists, even if it means confronting our longtime allies on the left.
this is not about abandoning the values of justice. It is about refusing to be useful idiots in causes that abandon us the moment we are no longer convenient. It is about waking up to the reality that too many people on both extremes of the political spectrum would be fine with a world without jews or israel. We cannot afford to waste time debating progressive purity tests while our community is being targeted, dehumanized and erased.
the survival of the jewish people and the jewish state must become the primary focus of our communal agenda. Everything else is secondary. That doesn’t mean we stop caring about other causes, but it does mean we stop sacrificing ourselves at the altar of movements that see us as expendable.
let’s be clear: if israel falls, jews around the world will fall with it. The global backlash against jews after israel defends itself is a preview of what a world without a strong, sovereign jewish state would look like. We saw it after oct. 7. As jews mourned their dead, the world mobilized … against us. That is the world we live in. That is the urgency we face.
survival is not a passive act—it is active, relentless and often uncomfortable. It means confronting hard truths. It means uniting across denominational, political and generational divides. It means understanding that we are one people with one fate. Secular or religious, republican or democrat, ashkenazi or sephardic—none of it matters if we do not exist.
so let us come together. Let us invest in jewish education, and in security and advocacy. Let us defend israel without apology. Let us teach our children to be proud jews, not diluted versions of whatever the culture demands we be. Let us remember that history is clear: jews who forget their vulnerability do not last.
this is our moment of reckoning. We can no longer afford to pretend that business as usual will save us. Jewish survival is the issue. It is the only issue. Because if we survive, we can fight for justice. But if we disappear, then justice will not remember us. And history will not mourn what it never saw coming.
it’s time to wake up. It’s time to stand tall. It’s time to survive—and not just physically, but spiritually, nationally and communally.
that means supporting organizations that fight antisemitism, not those that excuse it. That means building political power, not forfeiting it out of fear of “rocking the boat.” That means funding jewish institutions, not watching them decay while we donate elsewhere. That means holding our leaders accountable—rabbis, educators, philanthropists and elected officials—if they fail to prioritize jewish safety and sovereignty.
we cannot outsource our future. We cannot rely on others to value our lives more than we do. We must be the architects of our destiny.
there are no guarantees. The world has shown, time and again, how quickly it can turn on the jews. But there is one difference this time. We have a state. We have a voice. We have a history that teaches and a future that demands courage.
jewish survival isn’t just an option, it’s our obligation.
let’s remember what matters most. And let’s ensure that we, the jewish people, not only survive but thrive. Because we don’t owe the world another cautionary tale. We owe our children a victory.
{reposted from jns } |
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| Fox News Tomi Lahrens Stunning Transformation |
| Posted on Monday, June 30 @ 00:00:23 PDT (6 reads) | |
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The glamorous transformation of fox news tomi lahren
we may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
tomi lahren began her career just days before her 22nd birthday and in the decade since then, shes solidified her reputation as one of the most outspoken conservatives in the mediasphere. Interestingly, though, despite growing up in the spotlight, theres probably still plenty you dont know about tomi lahren. Like the fact that, while studying journalism in university, she was known for being politically correct and never allowing her own points of view to take over interviews.
a lot has changed about lahrens broadcasting style since then. She no longer holds anything back, whether shes speaking on her love of the maga movement or slamming gen z for being overly lazy. However, shes not afraid of turning on her own party when she needs to, like the time she shot down the trump administrations attempts to minimize signalgate. Im honestly getting sick of the whatabout isms from my own side, she tweeted. Admit the f up and move on.
in addition to her growing confidence and increasingly outspoken nature, lahren has also undergone a physical transformation to match. Indeed, lahren looks totally unrecognizable in pics from before her fox fame. Heres a closer look at the glamorous transformation of fox news tomi lahren.
tomi lahren wouldnt trade her south dakota upbringing for anything
born and raised in rapid city, south dakota, on august 11, 1992, tomi rae augustus lahren couldnt be prouder of her country roots. She grew up on 12 acres of land, surrounded by nature and a large menagerie of animals including horses, rabbits, and hamsters. Although there werent many other kids to play with nearby, she enjoyed spending time outdoors and with her parents, with whom shes particularly close.
indeed, one of the aspects she enjoyed most about her upbringing was being an only child. I believe it was that independence that allowed me to excel to where i am today, she told spotlight on business magazine. I wouldnt trade my childhood or upbringing for anything in the world. Another aspect she holds particularly dear to her heart is the opportunity to have learned from her parents, both of whom spent decades working on various ranches. I didnt grow up with money or status, but my parents gave me something far more valuable: work ethic and grit, she explained.
when not at home, lahren attended and graduated from rapid citys central high school, and to this day, she has nothing but fond memories of her hometown. Its the best place to grow up, she once gushed to buffalo magazine.
she always knew shed end up working in media
following her high school graduation, tomi lahren decided to move away from home to attend the university of nevada, las vegas (unlv). There, she majored in broadcast journalism and political science — two subjects shed been passionate about since childhood. I have always known this was going to be my career path, she told spotlight on business magazine. I have never wanted to do anything else. As she recalled, it was while watching the nightly news with her parents that she realized she would one day work in media. [I] felt middle america was largely ignored or lost in the shuffle, she mused, explaining that her dream was to give a voice to smaller communities like hers.
while at university, lahren began dipping her toe in political journalism as the host and associate producer of the scramble, unlvs political roundtable show. The scramble taught me how to put together a show, listen to opposing and diverse views, and take a back seat when needed, she told the outlet. Interestingly, according to the university news, lahren was soft-spoken and always politically correct at the time. In other words, she was the opposite of what shes since become known for.
lahren graduated with a bachelors degree in 2014 and still looks back at her university years as some of her most fun. Taking to instagram in 2020, she shared throwback photos of herself partying and quipped, flashback to college when corona was just a marginal beer and dancing on the bar was acceptable behavior.
tomi lahren once interned with kristi noem
tomi lahren built her career around politics, but shed never actually want to take part in it firsthand. Its a lesson she learned early on after interning with kristi noem in 2010 when the latter was starting out as a congresswoman. Speaking with spotlight on business magazine, lahren noted that her internship showed her just how shady politics can be and solidified the fact that she wanted nothing to do with a career on the inside of it. That experience taught me id rather be on the outside, in the media, serving as a watchdog and a check on power, she mused. Even so, it would come in handy in the future. That experience gave me a lot of context for what i do now, she told buffalo magazine.
nowadays, lahren is known for sharing her unfiltered thoughts on politics, as all the brutal shade shes thrown at gavin newsom proves. However, she doesnt only go after democrats. In 2024, she turned on her former mentor after noems controversies went a step too far when she bragged about shooting and killing her own dog. That makes sense to jeffery friggin dahmer and charles manson, no one else, lahren said on her show, tomi lahren is fearless (via outkick). Noting that noems actions werent representative of other south dakotans, she fumed, if your dog is not well-behaved and you are incapable of training him, give him to someone who can.
an internship at one america news network changed her life
as tomi lahrens time in university was coming to a close, she did what so many students do each year: she tried to find a postgrad internship. Although she was rejected by the blaze (the network that hired her just a few years later), she made quite the impression on one america news network (oann). After cold-calling and getting hung up on repeatedly, lahrens persistent nature landed her an interview and screen test. Just 21 at the time and with no real world experience, she was nervous, but she powered through. I have a mantra that i am going to walk into any room and own it, she told spotlight on business magazine.
that bold approach worked and soon, the conservative outlets ceo, robert herring, was offering her the chance to develop her own show. My jaw dropped, lahren told rapid city journal. I was stunned. She hadnt even graduated college yet, but herring saw her potential. In august 2014, she made her professional debut with on point with tomi lahren. Ultimately, the show ran for only a year but its impact on her career cannot be overstated. My big opportunity at oann changed my life forever, she admitted to spotlight on business magazine.
a viral video catapulted her to fame and the blaze
while working for one america news network (oann), tomi lahren had the opportunity to refine her craft — i learned a lot because i didnt have a lot of help, she told the guardian — but also to define her voice. It was there that she dreamed up and perfected her now infamous final thoughts segment, a three-minute rant on everything from politics to pop culture, which would regularly garner millions of views online. In july 2015, she used said segment to talk about the chattanooga, tennessee, shootings that killed four marines and one navy sailor, and the clip helped her reach a new level of success. In her response, lahren lambasted president obama for not calling the killings an act of terrorism, and soon, she had gone viral. I was the girl who eviscerated obama, she recalled in her interview with the guardian.
it was at that moment that honchos at the blaze, which had initially rejected her internship application, really took notice. The following month, lahren wrapped her show on oann and moved networks to host a new nightly show called tomi on the blaze, which premiered in october 2015. It was her dream gig, and she was fully committed to her own success, even if it meant her love life would continue to be a disaster. As she proudly shared with the guardian, i dont have a family, i dont have a boyfriend. I am in dallas for one reason only, and that is to do this show.
did tomi lahrens unexpected stance on abortion rights get her fired?
tomi lahren has always spoken her truth, even when its been at odds with fellow conservatives. One of her most surprising confessions came in march 2017 when she appeared on the view and revealed she was pro-choice. I am someone thats for limited government and so i cant sit here and be a hypocrite, she said on the show. So stay out of my guns and you can stay out of my body as well. Lahren also admitted shes received plenty of criticism from fellow conservatives over her surprising stance and laughed, its equal hate from all sides for me.
what she couldnt have been expecting was that her employer would take the most offense. The following april, lahren sued the blaze and its ceo, glenn beck, for wrongful termination, claiming that her show was canceled following her appearance on the view. Initially, the blaze responded by saying that lahren was still employed by the network, then it countersued, seeking a temporary restraining order and an injunction. Days later, the two parties settled, and lahren officially left the blaze but was allowed to keep her social channels. These included her impressive facebook page with its 4.6 million followers.
tomi lahren moved on to greener pastures and bigger opportunities
after her falling out with the blaze, tomi lahren wasted no time moving on to bigger and better things. In august 2017, she joined fox news as a contributor, working on various programs while also continuing to record her famous fast-paced commentaries. In addition to 60-second clips for fox news audio, lahren also hosted fox nations final thoughts and no interruption with tomi lahren.
at the same time, she expanded her repertoire and wrote a book titled never play dead: how the truth makes you unstoppable. Published in 2019, its goal was to help readers, especially women, learn how to speak their minds, just like she does. As its cover art suggested, lahren wanted others to [s]top thinking about who you might offend and pay attention to who you might inspire.
jump to june 2022, and lahren again landed the opportunity to host her own show, this time on the fox-owned outkick network. Titled tomi lahren is fearless, the series stayed true to lahrens roots by keeping her final thoughts segment intact but expanded its nightly format to include interviews on a wide range of topics from politics to sports.
she was unfazed when her family tree was revealed
tomi lahren ruffled more feathers than usual when, in 2017, she joined the debate on what rights should be afforded to dreamers, or young undocumented immigrants who entered the united states as kids. We could stop rewarding illegal behavior and put law abiding americans first, lahren suggested in a tweet, unleashing plenty of backlash, including a viral rebuke from genealogist jennifer mendelsohn. Law-abiding citizens like her great-great-grandfather, indicted by a grand jury for forging naturalization papers? Mendelsohn responded, according to the washington post, although she did note he was later acquitted.
a year later, lahren was again voicing similar rhetoric, telling fox news [watters world,](https://x.Com/foxnews/status/995467839900352512) you dont just come into this country with low skills, low education, not understanding the language — we dont believe in importing poverty. Again, mendelsohn had some interesting findings to share, noting how lahrens own family tree was filled with immigrants. Her 2nd great-grandmother had been here for 10 yrs. Spoke no english, mendelsohn tweeted (via [people](https://people.Com/politics/tomi-lahren-immigrants-genealogist-family-tree/)). Her great-grandfathers 1895 baptism from mn? Recorded in norwegian. For her part, lahren was unfazed and even mocked the so-called revelations. Really what she did was prove that my family came here legally, lahren told [fox news](https://youtu.Be/yyxlwspsakq?Si=ukcztkn0_jny9mfo&t=64). She failed miserably.
whats in store for tomi lahrens future?
while a transition to politics may seem like a logical next step in tomi lahrens career, she actually has no plans to leave the media space. I dont envision that for myself because the dirty business of politics isnt appealing to me, she told spotlight on business magazine. However, she did make sure to not close the door entirely. I wouldnt enter myself into that arena unless i truly felt my voice and leadership was absolutely necessary, she teased. When asked if she likes to plan her future or set five-year goals for herself, lahren quipped, when we make plans, god laughs. The only thing she was certain of was that she would always stay true to her firebrand personality. Theres not enough money or fame in the world that could sidetrack me away from my values and core beliefs, she proclaimed. I wont bend for anyone or anything. Which might explain why shes been so unapologetic about [her cringe cameo side hustle](https://www.Thelist.Com/1890856/tomi-lahren-cameo-side-hustle-desperate-attempt-to-stay-relevant/), which has been dubbed a desperate attempt to stay relevant.
indeed, thats a sentiment shes shared on countless occasions, like when she told the guardian that too many of her fellow conservatives were simply too worried about being disliked to voice their true opinions. There are too many conservatives who are terrified of being labeled, she said. I do not bulls***, i am genuine and authentic. |
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| What Are the 529 Contribution Limits? |
| Posted on Monday, June 30 @ 00:00:23 PDT (7 reads) | |
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A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged savings vehicle designed to help families set aside funds for future education costs. These state-sponsored accounts allow contributions to grow without being subject to federal taxes, and withdrawals for qualified education expenses are also tax-free. The primary purpose is to make saving for college, vocational school, or k-12 tuition more manageable. While the goal is straightforward, the contribution process is governed by specific rules that determine how much can be deposited.
annual contribution limits the most immediate contribution consideration for a 529 plan is not a limit set by the plan itself, but one tied to federal tax law. Contributions are considered completed gifts for tax purposes, which means they are subject to the annual gift tax exclusion. For the 2025 tax year, an individual can contribute up to $19,000 to a beneficiary’s 529 plan without gift tax consequences. This amount is indexed for inflation and can change in future years.
this limit is applied on a per-donor, per-beneficiary basis. This means a person could give $19,000 to their child, $19,000 to a grandchild, and $19,000 to a niece in the same year. Since the limit is per donor, a married couple can combine their individual exclusions to contribute up to $38,000 to a single beneficiary’s account in 2025.
this $19,000 threshold includes all gifts made to that beneficiary from that donor during the year, not just 529 contributions. If a grandparent gives a grandchild a $5,000 cash gift and also wants to contribute to their 529 plan, the maximum plan contribution they could make that year without exceeding the exclusion would be $14,000.
the five-year superfunding rule a unique provision for 529 plans allows for an acceleration of savings through a method called “superfunding.” This rule permits a contributor to make a large, lump-sum contribution and treat it for gift tax purposes as if it were made evenly over a five-year period. For 2025, this means an individual can contribute up to $95,000 at one time, which is five times the $19,000 annual exclusion. A married couple can jointly contribute up to $190,000.
to use this strategy, the contributor must file form 709, the united states gift tax return, for the year the large contribution is made, specifying the five-year election. This filing is informational and does not mean taxes are owed; it simply documents the election.
the primary consequence of superfunding is that the contributor cannot give any additional gifts to that same beneficiary over the subsequent four years without triggering gift tax reporting. For example, if a parent contributes $95,000 in year one, they have used their $19,000 exclusion for that beneficiary for years one through five. Giving that same child a car worth $10,000 in year three would be a taxable gift because the annual exclusion for that year has already been allocated.
aggregate contribution limits separate from annual federal gift tax considerations, 529 plans have their own overall maximum contribution limits. These limits are not set by the federal government but by the individual state that sponsors the plan. This aggregate limit is the total value an account is permitted to reach for a single beneficiary; once this cap is hit, no further contributions can be made.
these state-mandated limits vary widely, with amounts ranging from $235,000 to more than $575,000. The specific amount is linked to the projected costs of attending expensive undergraduate and graduate programs, ensuring the account can cover a full education. The limit applies to the total balance of the account, including both contributions and investment earnings.
account owners should check the specific rules of their 529 plan, as the plan’s official disclosure documents will state the exact aggregate limit. If a beneficiary has multiple 529 accounts, some states require the balances of all accounts for that beneficiary to be combined when determining if the limit has been reached.
gift tax reporting for excess contributions when a contributor’s gifts to a single beneficiary exceed the annual exclusion amount in a year, and they do not elect the five-year superfunding option, a tax filing is required. The donor must file irs form 709, the united states gift tax return, for the year the excess contribution was made. This form is used to report taxable gifts to the irs.
for instance, if an individual contributes $25,000 in 2025, they would report a taxable gift of $6,000 ($25,000 minus the $19,000 exclusion). The deadline for filing form 709 is april 15 of the following year.
filing this form does not result in an immediate tax bill. The reported excess amount is subtracted from the donor’s lifetime gift and estate tax exemption, which for 2025 is $13.99 million per person. A gift tax is only owed if a person’s cumulative lifetime taxable gifts exceed this exemption amount. The primary function of form 709 is to track the use of that lifetime credit. |
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| Can I Claim My 20 Year Old on My Taxes? |
| Posted on Monday, June 30 @ 00:00:23 PDT (4 reads) | |
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Determining whether you can claim your 20-year-old on your taxes involves a look at specific criteria set by the internal revenue service (irs). The possibility hinges on whether they fit into one of two categories: a “qualifying child” or a “qualifying relative.” Each category has its own distinct set of tests that must be fully satisfied. Understanding these rules is the first step in correctly determining dependency status and accessing potential tax benefits.
the qualifying child rules the most common way a 20-year-old can be claimed as a dependent is by meeting the five tests for a qualifying child. These tests cover relationship, age, residency, support, and whether a joint return is filed. Failing even one of these tests means the individual cannot be claimed under this category, though they might still be eligible under the qualifying relative rules.
relationship: the 20-year-old must be your son, daughter, stepchild, foster child, brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, or a descendant of any of them, such as a grandchild, niece, or nephew. An adopted child is treated the same as your own child for tax purposes. Age: a qualifying child must generally be under the age of 19. However, an exception for full-time students extends the age limit to under 24. To be considered a full-time student, the individual must be enrolled for the number of hours or courses the school considers to be full-time attendance. This status must be maintained for at least part of five calendar months during the tax year, although these months do not need to be consecutive. An exception also exists for individuals who are permanently and totally disabled, as there is no age limit for them. Residency: the residency test requires that the child must have lived with you for more than half of the year. Certain temporary absences are permitted and are still counted as time living with you. These include time away from home for education, illness, business, vacation, or military service. For example, a 20-year-old away at college is still considered to be living at home for the purposes of this test. Support: for the support test, the 20-year-old cannot have provided more than half of their own financial support during the year. Support includes expenses like food, lodging, clothing, education, and medical care. Joint return: the joint return test stipulates that the child cannot file a joint tax return with a spouse for the year, unless they are filing only to claim a refund of withheld income tax or estimated taxes paid. The qualifying relative rules if your 20-year-old does not meet the age test to be a qualifying child, you may still be able to claim them as a qualifying relative. This path has a different set of four tests that must be met.
not a qualifying child: the first requirement is that the person cannot be your qualifying child or the qualifying child of any other taxpayer. Member of household or relationship: the person must either live with you for the entire year as a member of your household or be related to you in one of the specified ways, which includes children, parents, and siblings. Gross income: to meet this test, the dependent’s gross income for the year must be less than a specific amount set by the irs. For the 2024 tax year, this amount is $5,050. Gross income includes all income the person received in the form of money, goods, property, and services that is not exempt from tax. Support: the support test for a qualifying relative is different than for a qualifying child. You must have provided more than half of their total support for the year. This requires a calculation of all support expenses, including housing, food, transportation, and medical costs, to document that your contribution exceeded 50%. Tax benefits of claiming a dependent successfully claiming your 20-year-old as a dependent unlocks several tax benefits that can reduce your overall tax liability. A 20-year-old is too old to qualify for the child tax credit, which is generally for children under the age of 17. However, other credits and deductions are available.
the credit for other dependents is a non-refundable tax credit worth up to $500 for each qualifying dependent who cannot be claimed for the child tax credit. This credit directly reduces the amount of tax you owe. It is available for dependents who meet either the qualifying child or qualifying relative tests.
parents of college students may be able to claim education tax credits. The american opportunity tax credit (aotc) is for qualified education expenses paid for an eligible student for the first four years of higher education. It is a credit of up to $2,500 per eligible student. The lifetime learning credit (llc) is another option, offering up to $2,000 per tax return for qualified education expenses, and it is not limited to the first four years of postsecondary education. There are income limitations for both credits, and you cannot claim both for the same student in the same year.
you can also include medical expenses you paid for your dependent when calculating the medical expense deduction. If you itemize your deductions, you can deduct the amount of qualifying medical expenses that exceeds 7.5% of your adjusted gross income (agi). This can include payments for doctor visits, dental care, and prescription medications for the dependent you claim. |
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| Comment on 5+ Awesome Characteristics Of Filipino People by www.binance.com regi |
| Posted on Monday, June 30 @ 00:00:23 PDT (6 reads) | |
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Are you wondering what the common traits and characteristics of filipino people are? In this post, we will do a deep dive into the filipino character and get to know what sets them apart from our nationalities in southeast asia.
after all, there must be something truly unique about the locals, which is why several overseas companies look positively at the philippines. Aside from learning their official languages, it would be wise to get to know the filipinos (their values, traits, and behaviors), and if you are up for that, this post is definitely for you. At the same time, we will also walk you through some of the translations of the tagalog words related to this topic so that you can add them when expressing your love for the filipino culture.
table of contents
what are the filipino values?
characteristics of filipino people stem from filipino values. When we say values, this term refers to the socially acceptable constructs that all the locals are expected to follow in order to thrive in the community. Like in most countries, the philippines also has its own range of ideologies, ethical practices, moral codes, etiquette, and values that are promoted by society no matter where they are in the world. It is quite surprising how even filipinos born and raised in other countries somehow share the values of the native filipinos, too! If you travel to the philippines and live in this country for a while, many of these filipino values will be obvious during your stay.
hiya, pakikisama, and utang na loob
in this part, let’s talk about the idea of hiya, pakikisama, and utang na loob. These three are some of the most common surface values that any foreigner can observe immediately.
to put it simply, the filipino value system is mainly centered on the concept of providing and maintaining social harmony in the form of shame/embarrassment or “hiya.” This is somewhat similar to that of other asian countries like japan and china, wherein the actions of the locals are influenced by their society. For this reason, filipinos sometimes do things beyond what is expected of them to save face and get nods and pats from other filipinos.
if you have been watching filipino movies or tv series, you probably heard some of these lines before:
- ano na lang ang sasabihin ng mga tao? (What will other think?)
- ano na lang ang gagawin nila sayo dahil sa ginawa mo? (What will they do to you because of your actions?)
- ano na lang ang iisipin ng mga kapitbahay ngayon? (What will our neighbors think?)
these are some of the lines that greatly reflect how filipinos process whether their actions or decisions are correct in the eyes of society.
another common value that the locals are very much known for is the concept of “pakikisama” or getting along with the people around you. More often than not, pinoys go out of their way to do things for the sake of unity and togetherness. It is an intrinsic appreciation for the idea of communal bonding and going out of your comfort zone to conform to what is expected. Thanks to this value, the locals have become the friendliest bunch in the whole world!
and when we talk about filipino culture, we should certainly not forget the idea of “utang na loob” or gratitude. No matter how small the help is, the filipinos will do their best to try and extend the same help to you when you are in need. If directly translated, utang na loob in english can be referred to as a debt of one’s inner self.
popular characteristics of filipino people
as we have discussed in the history of the philippine flag, the country has been colonized for years and there is no surprise why some of the common filipino traits are somewhat similar to those of other countries. Spain, japan, and the american occupation are no strangers to foreigners. Fortunately, there are still some core values passed down by ancestors that remain intact and exist even to this day. One example of that is the bayanihan, or the spirit of communal work and cooperation with the goal of achieving a goal.
the concept of bayanihan is deeply embedded in the country’s history and is usually reflected by the imagery of men carrying a bahay kubo or traditional nipa hut. As you probably know, rural areas in the philippines used to have bahay kubo as their dwelling. What makes the kubo a good house in the olden days is that it can easily be transferred to a new place anytime, but you cannot do it on your own. Instead, the filipinos lend a hand and help the family transfer the entire house from one point to another. If you are unsure of how that works, just check out the example photo below.
once the home transfer is done, filipino women tend to cook and serve sumptuous and most popular filipino dishes in a kamayan style (boodle fight) to thank the generous people who helped them move. While the traditional kubo is no longer that popular, even in the rural areas, the spirit of bayanihan can still be seen, especially at times of natural disasters and calamities. Given the geographical location of the country, the philippines always have typhoons which is why neighbors do their best to help each other in their time of need.
what are filipinos known for?
now if you think that that is only what the filipinos can offer, then you better read the next section below, where we will discuss the five other good traits that will make you re-think life and crave to visit the philippines as soon as possible!
filipinos love to prepare great tasting food
one of the most popular qualities of filipinos is that they put a premium on how they serve other people. If ever you get invited to visit a friend’s house, you will be surprised at the very warm welcome you will receive from filipino parents and family members! Usually, they will let you in on their house in an instant and ask the visitor to sit down and get comfortable.
but the best part of it all? At least one family member will prepare a snack complete with drinks so that you can eat while waiting. After all, filipinos do not ever want you to leave their house with an empty stomach!
if you visit in the evening, you can expect that they will prepare dinner (and even make sure that they have different putahe or dishes that you are accustomed to) and arrange a guest room for you in case you want to stay. If you partake in a specific festival and the filipino parents or elders know that you are coming, they will go out of their way to get food specially prepared just for you!
most filipinos have strong family ties
the filipinos have very close family ties and enjoy spending quality time every weekend. Young adults may have work that is far from home, but it is common for them to go back home, especially to celebrate special occasions and holidays. In fact, traditional families also close their small businesses so long as they get to set aside time to see their family members.
since they are family-oriented, it is common to see the whole family living in just one place! And when we mean family, we literally mean the extended family to the point that they occupy a whole street!
the filipino people are respectful
as we have emphasized in the basic greetings in tagalog, one important aspect that you should remember is that filipinos are very respectful and will always use the words “po” and “opo” at the end of their sentences when speaking with people who are older than them, their family, persons of authority, and even strangers.
it is also expected that the younger people will take the elders’ hands and put them on their forehead and say mano po, which directly translates to “your hand, please.” This gesture is taught at an early age and is still very popular today. So, if you are in homestay accommodation and would like to get social approval, this is a good thing to do. Just make sure to ask if it’s okay first before you grab filipinos’ hands!
many filipinos are hardworking and resourceful
colonized and oppressed by several countries before, the filipinos have become hardworking people to the point that they are juggling multiple jobs just to make more money. Instead of bickering and blaming everything on the government, filipino values dictate that one should look for new ways to ensure that ends meet even while one is still young. For this reason, you will find many working students who are getting part-time positions or looking to sell food and items online with the goal of sustaining their educational needs.
since the philippines is a third-world country, many people still do not make enough for their daily needs. Instead of purchasing expensive items, they try to find innovative ways, cheaper substitutes, or create their own.
the filipino people are passionate
no matter what challenges the day has for every filipino, you will be surprised at how positive their perceptions are. There is much enthusiasm they have about life and work. If you are looking for people who will tirelessly help you in a time of need, you can never go wrong with connecting with the filipino people.
filipinos are educated
despite being a third-world country, the philippines is one of the asian countries that provide an amazing and educated workforce across the globe. Despite the hardships within the country, the locals strive to pursue further studies to earn a degree and land a high-paying and stable job. For this reason, many filipinos actually do not just settle for a college degree but also try to get scholarships for graduate studies.
if you are planning to migrate to the country, you will be proud of the high standard of education provided in both private and public schools. For instance, schools usually teach english in elementary school, which has positively resulted in the proficiency of most of the citizens in speaking english. In fact, even those who are not fortunate enough to study in high school can even talk to foreigners in english with confidence.
in other regions, it is also possible for students to learn filipino, english, and one regional language like cebuano, tagalog, ilocano, or bicolano! If you plan to get a college degree, you may also opt to take foreign language classes and learn from filipino instructors who speak french, mandarin, japanese, and malay!
fun fact: did you know that the national hero of the philippines, jose rizal, is fluent in 22 languages? If the hero is like that, you can expect that the rest of the locals also share the same love for languages!
filipinos are always positive
due to the geographical location of the philippines, the country is no stranger when it comes to destructive thunderstorms and life-threatening floods. But despite the challenges in life, the locals remain on the positive side because they believe that there is always a rainbow after the rain. Instead of complaining, they try their best to adapt quickly and make hard decisions in an instant.
don’t believe me? Try to walk the streets of manila and look for children playing on the street. Try to observe what a kid will do if ever he trips while running or walking. More often than not, you won’t see anger or shame in his actions. Instead, he will just laugh it off and even make fun of himself for the silly action.
because of this positive outlook on life, filipinos can survive challenges both in the past and present. And if things do not change, their positivity can even help them in the future.
other positive traits in the filipino culture
english | tagalog | sound |
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active | masigla | |
adaptive | nakikibagay | |
affectionate | mapagmahal | |
attentive | masigasig | |
careful | maingat | |
charitable | mapagbigay | |
compassionate | maawain | |
cooperative | matulungin | |
courageous | matapang | |
dependable | maasahan | |
determined | determinado | |
diligent | masipag | |
dutiful | mausnurin | |
faithful | matapat | |
forgiving | mapagpatawad | |
frugal | matipid | |
generous | mapagbigay | |
honest | matapat | |
humble | mapagkumbaba | |
industrious | masipag | |
kind | mabait | |
neat | malinis | |
orderly | maayos | |
patient | matiyaga | |
polite | magalang | |
resaonable | makatarungan | |
shy | mahiyain | |
simple | simple | |
strong | malakas | |
talkative | madaldal |
negative filipino traits
as much as we want to say that filipinos are amazing and that their culture is one of the unique ones out there, there are also negative traits that one should be aware of. There are also times wherein their ideologies or habits are a bit annoying or rude in the eyes of foreigners. So before you befriend or date a filipino, it would be great if you take note of those that we will discuss below.
crab mentality
first, some of the locals have this crab mentality wherein they try to bring other people down due to jealousy or insecurity. People are naturally competitive, but this sometimes can bring out the worst in the filipinos. One way you can see someone having this sort of mentality is when they consistently spread false rumors about someone or when they speak ill of someone behind their back.
bahala na
second, there is also the toxic trait of saying “bahala na” which can be translated to “come what may.” Others might think this is a harmless trait, but this can be a bit troublesome as it shows that some locals do not like preparing for important things. For example, if a student knows that he will have a test tomorrow, but he did not study, he will just say “bahala na bukas” which means that he is simply brushing it off instead of actually studying. As the saying goes, failing to prepare is a preparation for failure!
lack of self discipline
third, some of the locals lack self-discipline to the point that they will break the rules just because it is convenient for them. One example of that is when crossing the streets. While not all roads have traffic lights, it is common knowledge not to cross the road if there is a speeding vehicle. However, some filipinos will try to cross the road despite the possible negative consequences. Also, some will try to cross even if a huge sign says, “do not cross.”
filipino time
lastly, there’s also what we call a “filipino time” which means that they sometimes do not show up at the time that both parties agreed on. For example, if you talked with a filipino and agreed that you would meet at 6:00 a.M., Do not be surprised if he shows up at around 6:30! While they do not do it intentionally, foreigners find it disrespectful. However, please do remember that not all filipinos are like that!
how do you say characteristics in tagalog?
the tagalog word for characteristics is katangian
more sentences to talk about characteristics of filipino people
we’ll not leave you with just one vocabulary for katangian or characteristics of filipino people! Especially, you’ll find many people speaking tagalog in many regions of the philippines.
to connect with tagalog native speakers, you must know some of the tagalog vocabulary that they say. Don’t know where to start? Here are some examples to memorize.
english | tagalog | sound |
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bayanihan is a beautiful characteristic of the filipinos | napakaganda ng katangian ng bayanihan ng mga pilipino | |
crab mentality doesn’t help in the workplace | hindi nakakatulong ang pagkakaroon ng crab mentality sa trabaho | |
what characteristic do you like about filipinos? | Ano ang katangian na gusto mo sa pilipino? | |
ernest is an honest person | si ernesto ay isang matapat na tao | |
the overseas filipino workers are very diligent | masipag ang mga manggagawang pilipino sa ibang bansa |
frequently asked questions about filipino people
what do filipinos value the most?
filipinos value being hospitable, resilient, and religious the most. You’ll find these top three characteristics in general. However, these filipino values differ per generation. You may find younger filipinos more open-minded, quick-witted, and more persevering than older filipinos.
where did the mañana habit come from?
mañana habit is a negative filipino trait that stems from the spanish influence. It literally means “to do it later.” According to many historians of the philippines, this character trait wasn’t evident in the pre-colonization era. However, there are many ways to balance and combat the mañana habit that filipinos have.
what are the four core values of filipinos?
according to republic act no. 8491 of the philippines, the four core values that filipinos must exemplify are “makadiyos, makatao, makalikasan, at makabansa”. In english, this phrase means “for god, for people, for the nature, and for the country”. You can also interpret this as “pious/godly, humanitarian, nature-loving, and patriotic”.
what do you call the people of the philippines?
after being conquered by many countries in the past, the philippines is still in search of its true identity. At present, foreign influences continue to exist in the philippines’ culture, traditions, and beliefs, yet there are some things that are already truly 100% filipino. One example of that is their usage of certain terminologies like the one we will discuss below.
if the people from the united states are called americans, what do you collectively call those hailing from the philippines? The answer to that is filipino! Most foreigners find it a bit confusing because the word “filipino” is also used as a term referring to the country’s national language.
in addition, many appear to be baffled whenever they search for the answer to this on the internet since there’s also a term known as “pilipino.” There are also words like “pinoy” and “pinay.” Given the many possible terms to use, you are probably wondering what’s the difference, right? Allow us to explain that further below.
for foreign visitors, you should call the people of the philippines “filipino.” If you want to be more specific depending on the gender, you can use “filipina” to refer to women or just use “filipino” to refer to males. However, please refrain from calling them philippino or filipini as those words are straight-out wrong and will not make sense to the locals.
the other term that the locals use to call themselves and fellow citizens is “pilipino.” This term is the translated version of their nationality in their national language. Therefore, if you are using tagalog, you can ask something like this: “isa ka bang pilipino?” Which translates to “are you a filipino?”
now if you want something that sounds a bit casual to use among filipinos, it would be wise to call them “pinoy” or “pinay.” These are colloquial terms that anyone can freely use, so you do not have to worry whether it will sound rude or something.
what did you learn about filipinos today?
if there is one thing that makes foreigners fall in love with the philippines, then that would definitely be because of its citizens. While there is some truth that some people from asia are considered somewhat cold by nature, you might be surprised to know how much filipinos love making others feel comfortable around them. For this reason, several have called them hospitable or maasikaso in tagalog. If you can speak english, you’d be surprised that even street peddlers or tindero (male vendors)and tindera (female vendors) are actually fluent and can understand you!
as we reach this part of the post, we hope that you were able to learn everything there is about the culture of the citizens in the philippines. If you enjoyed this post, check out more posts for the tagalog language. If you would like to learn more vocabulary, we highly recommend that you check the common tagalog cooking terms, popular filipino breakfast food, and filipino sweet desserts.
if you are also interested in getting to know the tagalog language better, then you should check out the ling app. If you are on the lookout for an app that is exciting and challenging, then download the ling app today! |
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