I won’t go into the reasons why you’re doing that. Instead, I’ll just focus on your plans, because I don’t think a gradual change of accent will go unnoticed. Just do it. Embrace the American accent you love so much and live it to the fullest. And if anyone asks you what happened, just say you’re tired of your own accent and are trying something new. Explain it clearly to others and own up to it. This will make you feel good because you’re being honest by telling others why you have decided to change.

However, you should bear in mind that a language is much more than just an accent. It also includes people’s choice of words and idioms and expresses the way they see the world. It would be strange if I decided to speak Brazilian Portuguese with a Portuguese accent (from Portugal). Those who know me would be confused because this “Portuguese character” in me speaks the local language perfectly with the wrong accent. How come?

You know what they say: you have to rush when Mother Nature calls. Under those circumstances, it can be difficult to read the instructions first. Good to know you saved the poor tourist a free chemical bath.

Jim’s a clever guy. We could even seek inspiration in some trash cans that have embraced the pedal idea. Can you believe we’re in the 21st century, surround by ai systems, risking extinction for various reasons, and unable to solve the toilet seat conundrum?

Unfortunately, I’ve never been to France, but nothing beats a spotless clean public toilet. And, thanks for the tip: if someone holds the door for you, kindly step back. That alone should be highlighted in all tourist guides.

I think someone urgently needs to come up with one of these solutions:

1. The foot-operated lid;
2. The toilet with flush and suction;
3. The Jedi throne (a Jedi-style toilet lid activated by hand movements) and lastly
4. The Terminator (a time-activated flames of hell) solution. The time-activated mechanism locks the toilet door after the user leaves and burns the entire compartment at solar flare temperatures.

Thank you for your efforts to keep this place clean and civil, and especially for the transparency in describing how you’ve dealt with such annoyances. You have my respect.

Not a mass exodus. Call it a brain drain, if you will. The churn includes those who posted or were moderators. Since those who stayed are directly or indirectly supporting practices that most of us find unacceptable, Reddit will probably forever have that sour taste. It will gradually turn into a pale reminder of what it once was, and it will lose its spark. The sheer volume, quality, and length of posts in the Fediverse is indicative of new user profiles. I am so glad I took the plunge!

COVID-19 turned into a perfect storm as most schools were unprepared for remote learning. Add to that the fact that many students had no access to a reliably fast internet connection and the whole literacy picture gets rather bleak. Thanks for sharing your views on my perspective.

No single answer is comprehensive enough to explain the low literacy levels in the US. That’s because some of the contributing factors include:

• Parents with little schooling.
• Lack of books and reading encouragement at home.
• Dropping out of school.
• Difficult living conditions – including poverty.
• Learning disabilities.

Each of these topics has social and political implications and we, as a society, have made choices that privilege the rich and the least vulnerable. Our immediacy leads us to focus on inflation rates, employment, and reelection (don’t get me wrong, these are essential points). But we should also seek solutions to bring parents back to school, campaign for more books at home, and improve schooling to prevent dropout.

The discussion of U.S. illiteracy gets gloomier when we consider the differences between “literacy” (reading, writing, and math skills) and “functional literacy” (the practical use of these skills to manage daily life and improve socioeconomic well-being).

There’s a long and rocky road to reverse this picture, and some of the possible solutions to promote higher levels of literacy in society should take into account:

• low income resources
• stigma and shame
• lack of awareness
• limited access to education
• technological barriers
• limited funding for literacy programs.

So, how is it possible that roughly 50% of Americans can’t read above a 6th grade level and how are 21% just flat out illiterate?

All of the above, and probably more!