₦airaland Forum

@pres-elect,

Perhaps I should have included some smiley emoticons after my statement.  My statement was meant as a good-natured joke. Of course I know you be guy. Why are you so sensitive now? You need to get married and release some tension, if you know what I mean  .

But on a more serious note, why do you find it so easy to attack people's personalities, even though you can't stand being at the center of criticisms, however good-natured?  This is about the 2nd or 3rd time I have taken exceptions to the way you easily attack people like Rush and Bush.  I have enormous respect for Obama, even though I do not agree with his politics. Someone can't chieve what he has achieved without been admirable. Same goes for Rush and Bush.  You need to respect that. So when we discuss, let's keep it on issues.

Indeed you may not agree with my opinion, but you can't but respect the fact that I express them without attacking personalities. Besides, why the attention on my person? This is supposed to be about issues, which so far, you have not addressed. You've tied to divert the attention to Bush and Rush.  This is not about them.

As for the issue at hand, did you read the resignation letter of that AIG Executive? Are you aware that he and the majority of people who were tongue-lashed by Obama and co were not even involved in making the deals that brought the company to its knees?  They were retained to unwined those deals based on a contractual agreement. The CEO promised to honor the contracts which was specifically mentioned in the bailout bill that Obama and co voted for.  Why then were these Executives made scape goats?  According to you, you would have carried placards to their homes to protest as well. You think they deserve that treatment? As it is now, their only remuneration for one whole year is $1. That is mean.

@pres-elect,

phew . . . . . tayo . . .

I knocked the breadth out of you ehn? I know I have that effect on babes and unrepentant liberals. Which one are you sef?

first of all, anybody listening to boss limbaugh is an idiot. if anyone is a bully, it is that fat brainless, alcoholic and imbecillic drone called limbaugh, who recently bullied the so called new america bla bla bla . . . (jeb bush, eric cantor, mitt romney etc) who went out on a ''listening tour'' and after the ''boss'' bullied them to stop the listening tour b/c republicans dont listen but tell people what to do/believe, cantor did a u-turn and said on ''morning joe'' that it is not a listening tour. well, i can see tayo wants us to listen to that bomboclaat god of his.

Tell me what are they supposed to be listening to? You mean they were not listening all the while McCain's campaign only gained energy when Palin was selected as his vice? Of course they are deaf to realities. The RNC has consistently lost elections ever since they started flirting with the center. America only needs one DNC, the RNC is too late trying to become that Party. By the way, Rush is a commentator. He said what he felt about the listening tour. There is no crime in that.

2. the issue of torture is not about obama vs bush administration. infact, i'm disappointed in obama who promised ''change we can believe'' but is now shielding those criminals of torture from full prosecution, conviction and possible execution. anyway, there's always another election.

There are many of us looking forward to that next election.

3. obama has never ridiculed bush. he criticised bush's policies. he never ridiculed bush b/c he didnt need to. that brainless natural disaster is an auto-ridiculing machine.

Can you guys debate without calling people names? Being foul-mouthed does not reveal intelligence. Not when you are trying to appear more intelligent than the former President of the greatest nation on earth.

4. the mob outside AIG were not sent by obama. and if i were in the US at that time i would have been a part of that mob. better attack and wound/maim some of those fat cats who caused mayhem on a globalised economy and also the rumsfield mob that caused mayhem in the middle-east which lead to the loss of over I00,000 lives and still counting. obama has been playing it cool with those corrupt maniacs (probably to maintain his so called coolness- - - he is loosing the support of the base that sent him to change these things)

Of course they were not sent by Obama. The attorney for the Chrysler Bond holders who declared they were threatened by the administration were just dreaming right? As if the jobless liberals who were calling for the peoples's head would have gone to their houses if Obama had not set the ball rolling. By the way, did you read the resignation letter I posted above?

5. if only i can lay my hands on the chrysler executive that still has mouth to talk. these people should be behind bars. but the law should be followed. so may be boss limbaugh can forward the names of those who acted outside the law, so we may investigate and believe (note that tayo doesnt need to investigate and believe, he beleives everything his god tells him, and that is understandable. there's freedom of religion in the US)

Do you know what you are atlaking about? They should be in jail for buying bonds? That way, probably 90% of America's workforce will be behing bars. Of course that would be the liberal's dream, 'cos none of them will be affected.

6. Let me educate tayo and his god about ''my way or the highway'' free of charge . another benefit of nairaland . that statement did not originate with al capone but as far back as the lincoln assasination. his wife wanted lincoln buried at the cemetry of her choice, but the officials of the day wanted him buried in another location in springfield, so she sent them a message to either bury him in the cemetry she wanted or he will be buried in chicago (hence refered to as the highway b/c lincoln's corpse was to pass thru many US cities including chicago which was in the highway of lincoln's body's itinerary from DC to springfield) she said, my way or the highway.

Exactly what is your point? That the phrase can only be used when Lincoln is directly referenced? You serious?

7. tayo, as much as i dislike what obama is doing now with regards to his kid gloves approach to the issue of torture, i still accept, and indeed admire the fact that for now we have someone in washington called . . . . . . . .

PRESIDENT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA

Thank God I'm not white. You would have accused me of racism. You like what he's done to the AIG Execs? Would you like Obama to have the final say on all your contractual obligations?

@topic,

The following is a public letter sent on by Jake DeSantis, an executive vice president of the American International Group’s financial products unit, to Edward M. Liddy, the chief executive of A.I.G. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/25/opinion/25desantis.html?_r=2

DEAR Mr. Liddy,

It is with deep regret that I submit my notice of resignation from A.I.G. Financial Products. I hope you take the time to read this entire letter. Before describing the details of my decision, I want to offer some context:

I am proud of everything I have done for the commodity and equity divisions of A.I.G.-F.P. I was in no way involved in — or responsible for — the credit default swap transactions that have hamstrung A.I.G. Nor were more than a handful of the 400 current employees of A.I.G.-F.P. Most of those responsible have left the company and have conspicuously escaped the public outrage.

After 12 months of hard work dismantling the company — during which A.I.G. reassured us many times we would be rewarded in March 2009 —we in the financial products unit have been betrayed by A.I.G. and are being unfairly persecuted by elected officials. In response to this, I will now leave the company and donate my entire post-tax retention payment to those suffering from the global economic downturn. My intent is to keep none of the money myself.

I take this action after 11 years of dedicated, honorable service to A.I.G. I can no longer effectively perform my duties in this dysfunctional environment, nor am I being paid to do so. Like you, I was asked to work for an annual salary of $1, and I agreed out of a sense of duty to the company and to the public officials who have come to its aid. Having now been let down by both, I can no longer justify spending 10, 12, 14 hours a day away from my family for the benefit of those who have let me down.

I started at this company in 1998 as an equity trader, became the head of equity and commodity trading and, a couple of years before A.I.G.’s meltdown last September, was named the head of business development for commodities. Over this period the equity and commodity units were consistently profitable — in most years generating net profits of well over $100 million. Most recently, during the dismantling of A.I.G.-F.P., I was an integral player in the pending sale of its well-regarded commodity index business to UBS. As you know, business unit sales like this are crucial to A.I.G.’s effort to repay the American taxpayer.

The profitability of the businesses with which I was associated clearly supported my compensation. I never received any pay resulting from the credit default swaps that are now losing so much money. I did, however, like many others here, lose a significant portion of my life savings in the form of deferred compensation invested in the capital of A.I.G.-F.P. because of those losses. In this way I have personally suffered from this controversial activity — directly as well as indirectly with the rest of the taxpayers.

I have the utmost respect for the civic duty that you are now performing at A.I.G. You are as blameless for these credit default swap losses as I am. You answered your country’s call and you are taking a tremendous beating for it.

But you also are aware that most of the employees of your financial products unit had nothing to do with the large losses. And I am disappointed and frustrated over your lack of support for us. I and many others in the unit feel betrayed that you failed to stand up for us in the face of untrue and unfair accusations from certain members of Congress last Wednesday and from the press over our retention payments, and that you didn’t defend us against the baseless and reckless comments made by the attorneys general of New York and Connecticut.

My guess is that in October, when you learned of these retention contracts, you realized that the employees of the financial products unit needed some incentive to stay and that the contracts, being both ethical and useful, should be left to stand. That’s probably why A.I.G. management assured us on three occasions during that month that the company would “live up to its commitment” to honor the contract guarantees.

That may be why you decided to accelerate by three months more than a quarter of the amounts due under the contracts. That action signified to us your support, and was hardly something that one would do if he truly found the contracts “distasteful.”

That may also be why you authorized the balance of the payments on March 13.

At no time during the past six months that you have been leading A.I.G. did you ask us to revise, renegotiate or break these contracts — until several hours before your appearance last week before Congress.

I think your initial decision to honor the contracts was both ethical and financially astute, but it seems to have been politically unwise. It’s now apparent that you either misunderstood the agreements that you had made — tacit or otherwise — with the Federal Reserve, the Treasury, various members of Congress and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo of New York, or were not strong enough to withstand the shifting political winds.

You’ve now asked the current employees of A.I.G.-F.P. to repay these earnings. As you can imagine, there has been a tremendous amount of serious thought and heated discussion about how we should respond to this breach of trust.

As most of us have done nothing wrong, guilt is not a motivation to surrender our earnings. We have worked 12 long months under these contracts and now deserve to be paid as promised. None of us should be cheated of our payments any more than a plumber should be cheated after he has fixed the pipes but a careless electrician causes a fire that burns down the house.

Many of the employees have, in the past six months, turned down job offers from more stable employers, based on A.I.G.’s assurances that the contracts would be honored. They are now angry about having been misled by A.I.G.’s promises and are not inclined to return the money as a favor to you.

The only real motivation that anyone at A.I.G.-F.P. now has is fear. Mr. Cuomo has threatened to “name and shame,” and his counterpart in Connecticut, Richard Blumenthal, has made similar threats — even though attorneys general are supposed to stand for due process, to conduct trials in courts and not the press.

So what am I to do? There’s no easy answer. I know that because of hard work I have benefited more than most during the economic boom and have saved enough that my family is unlikely to suffer devastating losses during the current bust. Some might argue that members of my profession have been overpaid, and I wouldn’t disagree.

That is why I have decided to donate 100 percent of the effective after-tax proceeds of my retention payment directly to organizations that are helping people who are suffering from the global downturn. This is not a tax-deduction gimmick; I simply believe that I at least deserve to dictate how my earnings are spent, and do not want to see them disappear back into the obscurity of A.I.G.’s or the federal government’s budget. Our earnings have caused such a distraction for so many from the more pressing issues our country faces, and I would like to see my share of it benefit those truly in need.

On March 16 I received a payment from A.I.G. amounting to $742,006.40, after taxes. In light of the uncertainty over the ultimate taxation and legal status of this payment, the actual amount I donate may be less — in fact, it may end up being far less if the recent House bill raising the tax on the retention payments to 90 percent stands. Once all the money is donated, you will immediately receive a list of all recipients.

This choice is right for me. I wish others at A.I.G.-F.P. luck finding peace with their difficult decision, and only hope their judgment is not clouded by fear.

Mr. Liddy, I wish you success in your commitment to return the money extended by the American government, and luck with the continued unwinding of the company’s diverse businesses — especially those remaining credit default swaps. I’ll continue over the short term to help make sure no balls are dropped, but after what’s happened this past week I can’t remain much longer — there is too much bad blood. I’m not sure how you will greet my resignation, but at least Attorney General Blumenthal should be relieved that I’ll leave under my own power and will not need to be “shoved out the door.”

Sincerely,

Jake DeSantis

How would you feel if this was you?

@Davidylan,

Oh sorry, i forgot you fish in bigger waters. Worshipping at the throne of Rush Limbaugh.

Oh I'm sorry.  I should perhaps be worshipping at the throne of Barack Obama. Unfirtunately, its because of your royal highness Obama that I started listening to Rush.  How a Presidential candidate could buy up air time across the country to peddle lies against a private citizen still baffles me. It was this singular act that made me think Ruch must be worth listening to. Otherwise, Obama wouldn't have spent so much money to propagae lies against him.

What has this got to do with anything? If not for the media would anyone be talking of AIG execs? I asked earlier, what shld Obama have done to Chrysler? Simply thrown more money at them so you goons can come crying about "spending"?

No. If not for Obama, no one will be talking about the AIG execs. Do you know Obama voted for the bill to give AIG the bailout? Are you aware that the bill specifically stated that the prior bonuses will be paid regardless? So why did he vote for the bill and in a public show of false anger, derided the execs? Can you explain that?

lol considering you started this topic with Rush Limbaugh as the your prime source i wonder if you see the irony in your own words.

There is nothing wrong with quoting other people's articles. Do I agree with what he said and can I back them up with facts? Yes, and I have done that.

How has Obama been a bully? Because the uneducated Rush said so?

So the issue with the AIG Execs and the Chrysler bond holders does not reveal bullying?  I will post the resignation letter of one of the Execs for you to review.  Tell me if you will like to be treated like that.

Obama has been a divider? Sure . . . we cant pretend that 100% of those republican whinners are not doing so because they cant imagine a black guy sitting in the white house.

Again you have to bring race into this.  What a shame.

@Davidylan,

what a load of revisionist republican bull. He tried to armtwist investors in Chrysler? What shld he have done? Given them more bailout money?

No. If you bother to know your facts before letting your adrenalin drive your responses, you will know I have never been in favour of the bailout. What then is the purpose of US bankruptcy laws? It is not the govt's role to determine losers and winners in the market place. Its funny that the investors who gave Chrysler the money it used to sustain its operations all these while have been given the short end of the stick.  You ever wondered how come the UAW now owns 55% of Chrysler?  Ask yourself wat percentage is now owned by the people who loaned it money? The same UAW that is hugely responsible for the debts of the company is now given majority shares at the expense of those who loan it money contractually.

Do contracts mean anything anymore? This is lawlessness at the highest level of govt. America is no longer a nation that honors conracts? The govt can now arm-twist you out of your contractual obligations and benefits? Is thjat how this nation was built?

I think YOU need to start seeing things beyond "Obama is bad".

I never said so. Can say the same for his policies though.

Did you even read the words he said? where did he "condemn America"? Is it not true that America chose to unilaterally go to war in Iraq AGAINST the strong rebuke of most of her European allies? Reasoning with you people is like trying to soak a rock.

Listen to yourself.  Obama should apologise to Europe for disregarding them in invading Iraq. Who the heck are they? If they had done their job right through the UN instead of collecting bribes, perhaps that war wouldn't have taken place. We see how principled these allies are don't we? We see how enthusiastic they are to stand by the US in Afghanistan. Give it up to the holy Europeans.

Come to think about it, maybe we owe them an apology afterall.  Perhaps we owe the world an apology for sticking our nose in their businesses.  We need to apologise for the Marshall Plan,. How dare we send hundreds of billions of dollars in international aide to those in need regardless of race, religion or nationality. How dare America defended and helped liberate our allies through two World Wars.  This was done while protecting South Korea from the North for over 50 years.  We dared to even help rebuild Japan and embrace the country as an ally. America should have minded its business instead of coming to the aide of the Middle East in Operation Desert Storm, providing economic assistance to Eastern Europe and Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. A not so careful look at these lists suggests that the U.S. has indeed been arrogant, aggressive and purely acting in its own selfish interest.

This arrogance was brought to the level of an art in the last eight years. How else can one explain how Bush literally tripled America's aide to Africa. The same US govt and its people through arrogance, provided the biggest aide to help the 2004 Tsunami victims, distributed aide and assistance to earthquake victims in Pakistan, India, Iran and China. And how dare the US attempt to build international condemnation for the atrocities in Darfur. We shoudln't forget our arrogance to respond to an attack on the United States by terrorists the Taliban refused to give up. Even if we ignore that crazy logic, just the fact that it resulted in the single largest shift toward equal rights for women in the region in centuries makes it hard to believe how anyone could see the U.S. in a positive light.  No doubt the world would be a better place if the US has kept out of it.

@cold,

cold:
Taq a chill pill abeg.U guys lost and woefully too,ur party is in disarray;go put ur house in order & see if u can come bak to the white house in 2016.Bunch of conservative hypocrites.

I'm trying t figure out which one irks you the most. Is it the fact that you can't fault or prove my allegations wrong, or the fact that the RNC is not dead as you wish.

But seriously. I believe in failure. It provides the opportunity for reflection and for determining through experience what works and what doesn't. The RNC missed its way these past 8 years and the result was the DNC winning both Houses and the White House. It is now up to them to determine how to proceed from here. Either find your conservative roots or remain irrelevant for as long as they want to remain a wanna-be Democratic Party.

@Davidylan,

this is pretty stupid. How is that Obama's fault? Was that not the fault of the "we have nothing to do" media fanning the flames of populist outrage . . . the same media that INCLUDED FOX NEWS WHICH KEPT ON USING AIG AS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WAS WRONG WITH OBAMA'S SPENDING IDEAS?

Which media? Who set the media rolling? Who called a press conferrence to deride these AIG execs in the first place? This is the same guy who just 2 weeks ago deroided legitimate investors in Chrysler. He tried to arm twist them during negotiations. Because he could not do that, he came to face the nation and called them unpatriotic speculators who were not ready to make sacrifices. Was that the media also? You need to get off this hero worship and see things clearly.

Obama appologised for america abroad but in the same sentence criticized anti-American sentiments abroad . . . but of course your FAUX news peeps abridged that and fed you the piece they wanted you to hear . . . and as usual you lapped it up without thinking it thru.

He condemned America and criticized anti-american sentiments in one sentence. how does that work? I expect the President to bing to their atention, what good America has brought to the world. How many of those leaders apologised for their country?

Its funny how you keep talking about Fox News. You probably spend most of your time watching the station. I have not watched the station for almost two years now. So find another excuse.

When has Obama condemned and ridiculed ordinary american citizens?

So the AIG execs aren't ordinary citizens but aliens? The Chrysler bond holders arenn't ordinary citizens but aliens?

sometimes your posts make me sick to my stomach.

What should sick you to your stomach is your inability to reason for yourself, especially when the issue is Obama. The guy is a bully plain and simple, and he has used his ofice to pit segments of the population against others. He has been a divider, not a uniter.

@Aloy.Emeka,

If you sympathise with waterboarded convicted terrorists, there are other threads on nairaland where you can fully expres your sympathy. This is not one of them

You must be living on another planet if you are unaware of the way Obama has been heaping scorn and derision on private citizens and businesses since he became president. For starters are you unaware of the many mobs that turned up in the homes of AIG execs? This is a president that apologises for America abroad but condemns and riducules his fellow citizens; people who built America and made it the most properous country on earth. I wonder what contribution he has ever made to America's economy that gives him the right to condemn and destroy the reputation of those who do.

@RichyBlack,

There is nothing 'gengen' about the issue you posted. This is why the law distinguishes between first and second degree manslaughter as well as cold-blooded murder. No one in their right mind will have the other sbling executed. This is not only on compassionate grounds for the parents, but because it was not a pre-meditated, cold-blooded killing.

You know America does not even send you to jail if you kill someone by accident with your car. These are very differnet situations altogether that require different responses. The law says no cruel and unusual punishment. It will be cruel and unusual to execute the living sibling, but it will not be cruel and unusual to execute this soldier ten times over.

@FBS,

I don't know what the law says, but even if it is 48 hours, I think the best anyone can do now is to help her secure the services of a lawyer. That way, she can at least seek justice and clear her name.

@Sky Blue,

So if anything won't action push to make the picture clearer ? ? ?If anything hasn't she been held long enough without charges being pressed? We should work according to our convictions anyway, so to each his own. I just don;t see how someone can say 'we don't have the full picture' and leave it at that, so how do we obtain the full picture? By waiting for it to be presented to us?

Don't go harrassing the Police. If you really care about her, the best way to go about this is to secure the services of a lawyer. That I believe, is the best course of action. You think anyone who picks up the phone will give you a true picture?

@topic,

While I found the action of the Police excessive, I think the story may not have fully explained what transpired. How did she go about presenting her complaint to the Police? Did she assault anybody in the process? Could any of the charges against her be true? I don't think we have the full picture!

@topic,

This is why I believe in death penalty. This guy should be subjected to it 10 times over.

What say you RichyBlack?

@AngieFan,

AngieFan:
Well the article is from a Nigerian source so maybe you should direct your anguish at them.

For further note, most articles from the Nigerian press about a person abroad involved in a scandal who just happens to be Nigerian will state that they are Nigerian otherwise the story would not have an interest in the Nigerian media.

Great point.

@meexteriox,

meexteriox:
What sort of comment is this? Now you are blaming investors operating in the free trade zone due to the inability of your Government to provide
basic needs of the zone. Retract your statement, and reason logically, please.

Any free trade zone in other clime of the world are operated on certain standard and principle e.g Dubai free trade zone, i mean, if we are not ready to operate the zone lets call a world press conference and showcase our indepth stupidity as a country.

Retract my statement? Think logically? Let me tell you what is not logical. It is any investor coming into Nigeria thinking the govt will make power available to him. For him to assume so is to not have done a proper business plan in which he would have studied Nigeria and know what to expect in terms of power supply. Anybody who plans to do business in the country must as a matter of business cost, include what it takes to run on generators 24/7.

Forget the appellation - Free Trade Zone. There is nothing free in that zone!

@topic,

Which yeye investor be dat? Didn't he count the cost before sinking money into the business? Does he thinks Nigeria will suddenly provide uninterrupted power supply simply because of him?

@SeanT21,

SeanT21:
I came across this artice and I cant believe how stupid it is. Why cant the article say "Doctor Accused Of Killing Two~~" Stating his nationality is just plain ridiculous.

I'm surprised it is the guy's nationality that caught your attention. I think we are getting overly sensitive when we shouldn't be. If anything at all, the article concluded by laying blame at the UK health system, not Nigeria.

Rush Limbaugh's Morning Update: Bully!

From Rush Limbaugh: Despite the hard feelings from his political base toward Bill Clinton, President Bush protected Clinton's archives. He shut down attempts to investigate Clinton or his administration. During his two terms, Bush never singled out American citizens or businesses for contempt, or demonized his political opponents. As his term ended, Bush executed a gracious transition, despite being used as an object of derision during Obama's campaign.

Three months into an administration that promised to "change" the way politics was conducted, Obama frequently ridicules and blames Bush. He and his fellow Democrats are intent on launching a witch-hunt of the previous administration. Obama and his team have heaped scorn and derision on private citizens and individual businesses. Organized mobs have appeared at the homes of Obama targets, and their families have been subjected to death threats.

And now -- despite heated denials from the White House -- more than one Chrysler creditor confirms that Obama officials threatened them with public attacks if they didn't surrender their legal claims to Chrysler's assets. These sources, by the way, voted for Obama!

Theodore Roosevelt coined the term "bully pulpit" to describe the power a president has to advocate a position and influence public opinion. But the Obama administration's "bully pulpit" is straight out of the arsenal of Al Capone of Chicago: "My way, or the highway." It's all bully, no pulpit.

Things have changed, in ways, that make you not even recognize your country anymore.

Side Comment from same article: The term "bully pulpit" stems from President Theodore Roosevelt's reference to the White House as a "bully pulpit," meaning a terrific platform from which to persuasively advocate an agenda. Roosevelt often used the word "bully" as an adjective meaning superb/wonderful. The Bully Pulpit features news, reasoned discourse, opinion and some humor. http://therogersinstitute..com/2009/05/rush-limbaughs-morning-update-bully.html

My question: Is this liberty or is it tyranny?

@Kingsleyinfo,

The best side lost but then again thats football.

I didn't see the match. However, looking at the stats, I ccan't figure out how you can claim Chelsea was the better team.  Barcelona had 71% of ball possession compared to Chelsea's 29%. That stats and others favour Barca as the better team.

It's a Goooooooooooooooooooall

@davidylan,

Thanks for the link. At least I've learnt one thing today. I have always considered the phrase 'you lot' to be bad english. I'm surprised it is considered good.

To be sure, I checked webster online, and it refrained form using that phrase as well.

@Davidylan,

Do us a favour. Where is the link?

@Davidylan,

Tayo-D what is in this for you? What are you out to prove because i honestly strain to find anything of note in your posts.

The only thing in it for me is the same thing in it for you - nothing.

She made 3 posts here . . . (bar the topic) only ONCE did she pluralise a word wrongly and you've been complaining for the last 3 pages?

And you've been complaining for what? 2 pages? You will do well to understand that my complaint goes beyoind her. It is about the standard of education in Nigeria. Care anything for that?

Out of respect for you . . . i refrain from using the appropriate language to describe this frankly ignorant point above.

Davidylan, poin out exactly in the dictionary, where the phrase 'you lot' is used the way she/you used it.  It is bad english. Simple. I won't be here repeating the same thing if you stop insisting that it is right.

I DID NOT FORCE the use of the phrase into the dictionary meaning, i copied the entire meaning from the online Websters dictionary VERBATIM without changing anything. All i did was highlight the important points i thought you shld note. It is interesting that it is YOU who is FORCING your own flatly wrong interpretation into the dictionary . . . the Websters DID NOT include "(whole)" in their interpretation . . . speaks volumes dude.

More than the 'whole' the dictionary did not include the sentence you constructed: 'pipe down, you lot'. That is a bad use.   'Pipe down, the (whole) lot of you' is not the same as 'Pipe down, you lot'.  The former is correct, the latter is not.

Another dictionary here defines it informally as - a number of persons or things regarded as a group

Thank you.  I know the meaning of the word.  However, 'you lot' is not how it is meant to be used.

@BigBro,

The attitude of some members of this forum is unbecoming and unwholesome and is making the site uninteresting. While it is right to correct somebody where he/she goes wrong, it should'nt be done by way of assulting and castigating the person. arrogance portrays uncivility and illiteracy in a person even if that person claims to be educated. Please let our education manifest in our approach to issues and in the way we interact with one another. Thank you.

If indeed I have shown some arrogance, I apologise.  That was not and never will be my intention. If you've bothered to read my posts up until now, you will see I never was really specific by pointing out the errors until I was pressed to do so. I spoke in a general sense with naija's educational system in mind. I don't think I ever assaulted or castigateD her person, and I will be more than glad if you can point out where I did so I could correct that in my future relationship with others.

However, for those who can't think for themselves and attack my person, I have and will always put them in their place. I will not waste my time responding to their vituperation, but I will surely let them know what I think of them as I have done to two of them so far.

@Krayola,

Krayola:
@ Tayo-d,  what do you really have to prove? Someone posted a question,  she was not asking you for a job. If you were sincerely concerned about her command of the English language you could have politely corrected her,  u know, something constructive. And then you read one post and automatically assume that your arrogance had such an impact on the poster, that in shame she created a new user-name just to escape your wrath. Get over yourself,  the only thing more appalling than your arrogance is the conviction with which you defend it.

Since we are making judgments here I suggest you get a little psychotherapy. I think you were over-coerced as a child. You know, your mummy and daddy flogging you for not getting all A1s, and scolding you for not chewing your food long enough, or making you feel like a failure every time you made a honest mistake. Deal with it before you inflict the same punishment [b]on your childre[/b]n and continue this vicious cycle.

Solomon wrote in proverbs that a fool will betray his folly just by the way he walks down the street. It is obvious that a fool will also show himself to be one just by the way he uses the internet.

If you had any form of respect for your parents and children (if you have any), you wouldn't be quick to refer to other people's families online. The natural reaction is for me to respond to your tirade by sending you home with insults to your parents as well.  I may have no respect for you, but I'll extend some courtesy to your parents. I will show the descency you lack by not descending to the level of dogs like you.

There you go.  You've suceeded in taking up 60 secs of my time.  I'm sure you know it is 60 seconds more than you deserve.

@Davidylan,

The OP posted only 3 (THREE) times . . . out of the 3 posts you could only pull out ONE CASE where she pluralised wrongly . . . and you call it a "fundamental flaw"?

That is not true. Did you read my post at all. She made the same so-called mistake in the topic. She only corrected it when someone else pointed it out. For someone who is coming from Europe to teach English in Naija, I shudder at what she'll e teaching the kids.

So because she's an english teacher she's expected to write on informal forums with perfect syntax? Are we grading posts now?

No we are not grading posts. I only responded to the person who said it does not really matter. Actually it does in this context. My concern is for the country at large which is why I pointed out the problem Kwara State has with their teachers. You know me, I hate personality clashes. That is why I refrained from actually pointing out the errors until you insisted that I did. My initial response was on a braoder scale that affects nation building.

Precisely what i said. Writing "am" when you meant to write "i'm" is a common mistake. Note also that this only happened ONCE.

Indeed that is wrong. However, it is one of many "mistakes" which makes this whole isue worrisome.

Perhaps you people correcting her need to return to english classes yourselves.

I've never claimed to be perfect at the language. However, I expect someone who intends to teach and be paid to teach the language do a lot better. How many Professors of Physics will you excuse if they can't rightly tell you Newton's laws of motion?

You said and i quote - "there is nothing like you lot" . . . well from the Websters dictionary again - Pipe down, the (whole) lot of you. = Pipe down, you lot.

See where you are wrong. You had to force the use of the phrase into the dictionary meaning. The way it is used is the dictionary is not the same as you've interpreted it. There is nothing like 'you lot'. The proper way to use it is 'the whole lot of you'. Simple.

"Sorry lot" and "bad lot" are NOT used differently like you said . . . the use of the word "lot" is clearly the same in both cases as it refers to a collection of people.

You getting me wrong. It is indeded refering to a collection of people or things. However, 'sorry lot' and 'bad lot' are correct phrases in English, 'you lot' is not.

But you dont know . . . she didnt specify that . . . you're only assuming so as to force your own point.

Of course I know. The sentence is very clear and the word is used as a verb there. Isn't that why you also corrected it by using it rightly in a sentence?

The difference between "meeting" and meet" is whether it is used as a verb or noun or a simple "ing". Common error that the poster could easily rectify. There are worse english blunders out there.

If a teacher of the language does not know how and where to use a word as either a noun or a verb, shows some syntax errors, lacks understanding of a subject-verb agreement, then there is need for concern.

See I understand your point, but you canl clearly see that you are trying too hard to justify her. You've looked at what could be her intentions and ignore what she actually did. I hated having to be specific. I've tried to avoid it until you insisted on specifics.

I hope my general point will not be lost in this. The minister of education in Kwara said a gradual systemic failure has led to the sorry state they have now found themselves with respect to the quality of their teachers. It will be good to be extra careful and vigilante in order to reverse that trend. This is not an indictment of the poster, but it is a call to pay more attention to what and who is teaching what in our schools.