Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Lion Facts

Lion Facts Lions (Panthera leo) are the largest of all African cats. Once roaming most of Africa, as well as large parts of Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, today they are found in patches in Africa and one population on the Indian subcontinent. They are the second largest cat species in the world, smaller than only the tiger. Fast Facts: Lion Scientific Name: Panthera leoCommon Name: LionBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 5.5–8.5 feet longWeight: 330–550 poundsLifespan: 10–14 yearsDiet: CarnivoreHabitat: Groups in Africa, and IndiaPopulation: 23,000–39,000Conservation Status: Vulnerable Description About 73,000 years ago, ancient shifts in the African climate segregated the lions into small groups, and over time characteristics evolved to match the separate environments: some larger, some with larger manes or darker coats. The largest of these was the Barbary lion of North Africa, which measured some 27–30 feet long with a long, serpentine tail of 3.5 feet. Geneticists have identified two subspecies of lion: Panthera leo leo (found in India, North, Central, and West Africa) and P. l. melanochaita (in Eastern and Southern Africa). These lions have coats that range in color from nearly white to tawny yellow, ash brown, ochre, and deep orange-brown. They have a tuft of dark fur at the tip of their tail, are typically about 5.5–8.5 feet long and weigh between 330 and 550 pounds. Male and female lions exhibit sexual dimorphism: Female lions are smaller than males and have a uniformly colored coat of a tawny brown color. Females also lack a mane. Males have a thick, woolly mane of fur that frames their face and covers their neck. Lions closest living relatives are the Jaguars, followed by leopards and tigers. They have two recognized extinct ancestors, the American lion (Panthera atrox) and the cave lion (Panthera fossilis). Aprison Photography/Getty Images Habitat and Range Although they primarily are found in savanna areas, lions can be found everywhere in Africa, except the tropical rainforest and the interior of the Sahara desert. They live in habitats from sea level to the mountain slopes up to 13,700 feet, including Mt. Kilimanjaro. The dry deciduous Gir forest of northwest India contains a lion preserve known as the Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary. Surrounding the sanctuary is an area inhabited by ethnic Maldharies pastoralists and their livestock. Diet Lions are carnivores, a subgroup of mammals that also includes animals such as bears, dogs, raccoons, mustelids, civets, hyenas, and the aardwolf. Lion prey preference is for medium to large ungulates like gemsbok and other antelopes, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, and wildebeest; however, they will eat almost any animal, from rodents to rhinoceros. They avoid animals with sharp horns (like sable antelope), or animals smart enough to graze in large herds (like elands). Warthogs are smaller than lion typical preferences, but since they are common in the savannas, they are common parts of lion diets. In India, lions eat domestic cattle when available, but mostly consume wild Chital deer. Lions drink water when available, but otherwise, get required moisture from their prey or from plants like tsamma melons in the Kalahari desert. Behavior Lions live in densities between 1.5 to 55 adult animals per 38.6 square miles (1 square kilometer). They are social creatures and live in groups of about four to six adults called prides. Prides typically include two males and three or four females and their offspring; the adults leave the pride to hunt in pairs or singly. Prides in India tend to be smaller in size, with two females. Lions play-fight as a means of honing their hunting skills. When they play-fight, they dont bare their teeth and keep their claws retracted so as to not inflict injury on their partner. Play-fighting is a training and practice exercise, to assist in efficiency in tackling prey and to establish relationships among the pride members. It is during play that lions work out which members of the pride are to chase and corner their quarry and which members of the pride are the ones to go in for a kill. Reproduction and Offspring Lions reproduce sexually. They mate year-round, but breeding usually peaks during the rainy season. Their gestation lasts between 110 and 119 days. A litter usually consists of between one and six lion cubs, the average is between 2–3. Newborn cubs are born weighing between 27–56 ounces.  They are blind and deaf at first: their eyes and ears open within the first two weeks. Lion cubs begin to hunt at 5–6 months and stay with their mothers until they are between 18 months and 3 years. Females reach sexual maturity at 4 years and males at 5 years. Luxy Images/Getty Images Evolutionary History Today there are less than 40,000 lions on our planet, but lions were much more common and widespread in the past: They disappeared from Europe during the first century CE, and from the Middle East and most of Asia by 1950. Modern cats first appeared about 10.8 million years ago. Lions, along with jaguars, leopards, tigers, snow leopards, and clouded leopards, split off from all other cat lineages early in the evolution of the cat family and today form what is known as the Panthera lineage. Lions shared a common ancestor with jaguars which lived about 810,000 years ago. Conservation Status The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies all subspecies of the lion as vulnerable, and in 2013, the ECOS Environmental Conservation Online System in the United States classified P.l. leo as endangered, and P.l. melanochaita  as threatened. Threats Major threats to lions include habitat and prey loss resulting from a growing human population and climate change, as well as invasive species, agricultural effluents, diseases like canine distemper, and human retaliation for lion attacks. Illegal hunting and poaching for medicinal purposes and trophies have also impacted lion populations. Legal sport hunting is considered a useful management tool, providing needed income at sanctuary facilities if it is conducted at a sustainable offtake of about one male lion per 775 square miles. Levels higher than that have been documented in several countries in Africa as detrimental to the overall lion populations. Sources Bauer, H. et al. Panthera leo (errata version published in 2017). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: e.T15951A115130419, 2016Bauer, H., and S. Van Der Merwe. Inventory of Free-Ranging Lions Panthera Leo in Africa. Oryx 38.1 (2004): 26-31. Print.Evans, Sara. When the Last Lion Roars: The Rise and Fall of the King of the Beasts. London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018.Hayward, Matt W., and Graham I. H. Kerley. Prey Preferences of the Lion (Panthera Leo). Journal of Zoology 267.3 (2005): 309–22. Print.Riggio, Jason, et al. The Size of Savannah Africa: A Lion’s (Panthera Leo) View. Biodiversity and Conservation 22.1 (2013): 17–35. Print.Singh, H.S. The Gir Lion: Panthera Leo-persica: a Natural History, Conservation Status, and Future Prospect. Gujarat, India: Pugmark Qmulus Consortium, 2007.Species Profile for Lion (Panthera leo ssp. leo). ECOS Environmental Conservation Online System. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2016.Species Profile for Lion (Panthera leo ssp. melanochaita). ECOS Environmental Conservation Online System. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 2016.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Geography and History of Costa Rica

Geography and History of Costa Rica Population: 4.906 million (July 2017 estimate)Capital: San Josà ©Area: 19,730 square miles (51,100 sq km)Bordering countries: Nicaragua and PanamaCoastline: 802 miles (1,290 km)Highest point: Cerro Chirripo at 12,500 feet (3,810 m) Costa Rica, officially called the Republic of Costa Rica, is located on the Central American isthmus between Nicaragua and Panama. Because it is on an isthmus, Costa Rica also has coastlines along the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The country features numerous rainforests and a plethora of flora and fauna which make it a popular destination for tourism and ecotourism. History Costa Rica was first explored by Europeans beginning in 1502 with Christopher Columbus. Columbus named the region Costa Rica, meaning rich coast, as he and other explorers hoped to find gold and silver in the area. European settlement began in Costa Rica in 1522 and from the 1570s until the 1800s it was a Spanish colony. In 1821, Costa Rica then joined other Spanish colonies in the region and made a declaration of independence from Spain. Shortly thereafter, the newly independent Costa Rica and other former colonies formed a Central American Federation. However, cooperation between the countries was short-lived and border disputes frequently occurred in the mid-1800s. As a result of these conflicts, the Central American Federation eventually collapsed and in 1838, Costa Rica declared itself as a fully independent state. After declaring its independence, Costa Rica underwent a period of stable democracy beginning in 1899. In that year, the country experienced its first free elections which have continued until today despite two problems in the early 1900s and in 1948. From 1917-1918, Costa Rica was under the dictatorial rule of Federico Tinoco and in 1948, the presidential election was disputed and Jose Figueres led a civilian uprising which led to a 44-day civil war. Costa Ricas civil war caused the deaths of more than 2,000 people and was one of the most violent times in the countrys history. Following the end of the civil war though, a constitution was written which declared that the country would have free elections and universal suffrage. Costa Ricas first election following the civil war was in 1953 and was won by Figueres. Today, Costa Rica is known as one of the most stable and economically successful Latin American countries. Government Costa Rica is a republic with a single legislative body made up of its Legislative Assembly whose members are elected by popular vote. The judicial branch of government in Costa Rica is comprised only of a Supreme Court. Costa Ricas executive branch has a chief of state and head of government - both of which are filled by the president who is elected by popular vote. Costa Rica underwent its most recent election in February 2010. Laura Chinchilla won the election and became the countrys first female president. Economics and Land Use Costa Rica is considered one of the most economically prosperous countries in Central America and a major part of its economy comes from its agricultural exports. Costa Rica is a well-known coffee producing region and pineapples, bananas, sugar, beef, and ornamental plants also contribute to its economy. The country is also growing industrially and produces goods such as medical equipment, textiles and clothing, construction materials, fertilizer, plastic products, and high-value goods such as microprocessors. Ecotourism and the related service sector is also a significant part of Costa Ricas economy because the country is highly biodiverse. Geography, Climate, and Biodiversity Costa Rica has a varied topography with coastal plains that are separated by volcanic mountain ranges. There are three mountain ranges running throughout the country. The first of these is the Cordillera de Guanacaste and runs to the Cordillera Central from the northern border with Nicaragua. The Cordillera Central runs between the central part of the country and the southern Cordillera de Talamanca which bounds the Meseta Central (Central Valley) near San Josà ©. Most of Costa Ricas coffee is produced in this region. The climate of Costa Rica is tropical and has a wet season that lasts from May to November. San Jose, which is located in Costa Ricas Central Valley, has an average July high temperature of 82 °F (28 °C) and an average January low of 59 °F (15 °C). The coastal lowlands of Costa Rica are incredibly biodiverse and feature many different types of plants and wildlife. Both coasts feature mangrove swamps and the Gulf of Mexico side is heavily forested with tropical rainforests. Costa Rica also has several large national parks to protect its plethora of flora and fauna. Some of these parks include the Corcovado National Park (home to large cats such as jaguars and smaller animals like Costa Rican monkeys), Tortuguero National Park and Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. More Facts Costa Ricas official languages are English and Creole Life expectancy in Costa Rica is 76.8 years Costa Ricas ethnic breakdown is 94% European and mixed native-European, 3% African, 1% native and 1% Chinese References Central Intelligence Agency. (2010, April 22). CIA - The World Factbook - Costa Rica. Retrieved from: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cs.htmlInfoplease.com. (n.d.) Costa Rica: History, Geography, Government, and Culture - Infoplease.com. Retrieved from: infoplease.com/ipa/A0107430.htmlUnited States Department of State. (2010, February). Costa Rica (02/10). Retrieved from: state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2019.htm

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Acculturation Model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

The Acculturation Model - Essay Example Schumann’s model is a valiant attempt at describing the process that individuals go through in acquiring a second language. Specifically, it focuses on members of ethnic minorities, being described by Schumann as including immigrants, migrant workers, and their children. His study revolved around how these individuals learn their target language by being immersed in the natural setting of the majority language, with little access to their own native language (Ellis, 1994). This analytical essay aims to provide a thorough and critical analysis of the Acculturation Model, followed by an evaluation of how this theory specifically can best be incorporated into the second language classroom of today. Description and Discussion of Main Claims Schumann’s theory originally began as a study of six students who were non-English learners. One of those students was making little to no progress in terms of actually acquiring the English language. Since his language skills were sorel y lacking, Schumann ascertained that the student’s cognitive development was stunted as a result. ... With rapidly advancing globalization, research in the area of second language acquisition has expanded in recent years. The Acculturation Model continues to be of particular interest because of its approach to assimilation and direct contact with the target language. At its most basic level, acculturation is primarily defined as a combination of social and psychological factors that are commonly understood to be critical to the acquisition of a second language in a natural environment (Berry, 1997, p. 8). According to Barjesteh (2012), â€Å"The major claim of the model is that acculturation, which is a cluster of social-psychological factors, is the major cause of Second Language Acquisition† (p. 580). In making this claim, the Acculturation Model takes the position that any second language learner can be placed on a continuum in a natural setting with speakers of the target language. The speed and fluency with which a learner acquires the language, then, can be seen as a dir ect correlation to the proximity that learner has with native speakers in a social or psychological context (Larson-Freeman, 2007, p. 781). A further claim of this particular model is that the process of acculturation is not directly linked to second language acquisition, but should rather be looked at as the first of several factors that contribute to the successful learning of a second language. Again, acculturation in this context is viewed as the â€Å"integration of the L2 learner into the target linguistic community† (Barjesteh, 2012, p. 580). Acculturation, then, should as be viewed as a cause of L2 acquisition, one that brings a student into contact with native speakers of the

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Art History - Atlantis in Dubai, UAE Research Paper

Art History - Atlantis in Dubai, UAE - Research Paper Example Hotel Atlantis is basically ocean themed and a major consideration in its design was to give visitors and guests in the hotel a feel of being under the ocean. Second theme on its design is that of a ruined and lost city below the sea, after the Atlantis. It is named after this mystical lost city. As a result, it is a rich source of ancient history, dating back to the 9600 BC although it is argued to be around 900 BC by a school of thought who thought that Plate was mistaken in his representations as to the dates that the city existed (Kleiner 112). The location of the mythical islands is also a matter of contention, with one school of thought claiming it is in the Atlantic while a majority believes that it is in the Mediterranean Sea. However, in our case, the hotel is located in the palm Jumeirah, an island in the artificial palm island in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The hotel was designed to capture the Atlantis culture, the Arabic culture and give an underwater concept. It is a marvelous piece of architecture, rich in art, in the paintings, carvings and top notch murals. The hotel is owned by Kerzner holdings and Istithmar Company. Its design is hugely borrowed from the Atlantis Resort in Bahamas, another chain of Kerzner Holdings. The hotel opened in 2008, one year after it was started construction in 2007. Many consider this hotel as the trademark of the Jumeirah islands, an icon hotel in Dubai and also double as one of the most expensive hotels in the world (Kleiner 45). The Atlantis palm sits on more than one hundred and ten acres and includes one thousand five hundred and thirty rooms. As mentioned earlier, its design is strongly influenced by the Atlantis Paradise in the Bahamas. It was inspired by Sol Kerzner, who had envisioned constructing a hotel modeled on the Atlantis, a well-known mythical lost city. There is a long story behind the origins of this myth,

Sunday, November 17, 2019

ESL classroom modification Essay Example for Free

ESL classroom modification Essay English as a second language students need modification and accommodation in the mainstream in order to be successful, because they pose problems to the teacher as most of them are not up to the academic level of other students. Research has shown that many teachers have not had training on how to successfully teach these students in the classroom. This article synthesizes what we as educators believe are the most important principles that teachers should support English as second language student to perform better in their academic field Modifications are individualized strategies posed on student for their success. They are appropriate when a student have learning difficulties in classroom. Implementing modifications that are parts of the student’s education plan are required by law. Modifications are necessary to any student that is not being successful with the regular method of instruction. They are important since not all students learn alike this help students be successful in their academic field. Research shows that social language is developed by students known as Basic inter personal communication skills (BICS) through informal and formal interaction with peers. The skills acquired are distinctive since they are not used in academic field. Academic language termed as Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) can take up to five to eight year to master (Cummins, 1984), Cummins notes in his classic work that (BICS) is typically acquired over a period of one to two years. Student who are yet to develop (CALP) in English, teachers need to be careful in choosing task that provide relevant information of cognitive complexity and contextual support. For student to complete activities that are cognitively complex they need to posses CALP to complete them. English language learners may lack the language skills to comprehend explanations of complex concepts and to express their thoughts yet they may have cognitive capacity to grasp material in such situation teachers may make comprehension of instruction through the use of contextual support such as gestures, hands-on learning, visuals, and other non-verbal accompaniment of instruction. The more instruction is contextualized, the better chance the English language learner has to develop understanding of complex concepts and the language used to explain them (Cummins, 1984). How can a teacher ensure that ESL students experience the same level of comprehension as the native English speaking students? The answer involves most of the teachers time but result are well worth it. Since the first aspect of language is aural or listening, read aloud session held after school could help for the beginning ESL students. The teacher can employ more students involvement and leadership by supervising a reading group in which the more advanced ESL student read to the beginning student. This method helps the beginner to feel more comfortable with the text as well as encourage advanced students to work on oral communication skills. However, one does not want to segregate students; the teacher should therefore stress the basic the basic learning strategies of making prediction, taking notes, inferring word meaning, and asking questions as they read. The simple strategies provide focus for reading and engage the learner in active reading (spangenberg-Urbschat 95). Fair assessment is one of the biggest questions concerning incorporation of ESL students in to regular English class. Should ESL student be held to the same grading standard as the native English speakers? Solution is yes, but methods of assessment should be different. With modification ESL students should demonstrate understanding of text, grammar skills and vocabulary. Standardized tastes do not show how well ESL students have comprehended the information and also overwhelm them. Assessment of all choice of student should be portfolio assessment as it tracks students improvement through sample quizzes, projects, reading log and journals. Providing equal education for the ESL student did not always mean those students were getting fair education. The courts found that Chine students involved in the suit were being excluded from educational opportunities since even though they were provided with the same instructional and materials as the native English student, they could not take the advantages since they lack adequate English language skills. Since ESL learners cannot take equal advantage of those opportunities, it is therefore not fair nor equal to them to use the same instructional strategies as the native English student. A model portfolio that has implications features for the ESL classroom can be used as a systematic tool in instructional planning and student evaluation. The potential for determining the depth and breadth of a students capabilities can be seen through analysis and comprehensive data collection. A comprehensive, focuses on both the processes and products of learning; uses both formal and informal assessment; seeks to understand student language development in the affective domains, cognitive, metacognitive, and linguistic; stress both formal and academic language development. Contains teacher, student, and objective input. The teacher should take some strategies on how to handle newcomers and emergent student. For the newcomers create climate of acceptance, use manipulative visuals, realia, props and games, use cooperative learning group, display print to support oral language , the teacher should also set model activities for the students to boost their understanding. Use of bilingual students as peer helpers is necessary he/she should adjust his rate of speech to enhance comprehension. In addition, he should ask yes/no questions to test if they can recall what they have been taught, ask them to draw/show/point various parts that have been taught during the lesson. He should test the new comers more on area dealing with vocabulary and terminologies. The teacher should simplify the language and not the content, moreover, the teacher should design the lesson in such a way as to motivate student to talk. As the teacher watch student improve, he should start asking them questions that require one or two words response for example who? What? When? Which one? How many. His lessons should expand on the vocabulary. Sensitizing mainstream students to the newcomer challenges is one of the suggestion for supporting ESL newcomers. The teacher should prepare native English students for the arrival of the newcomers. The teacher should brainstorm them on how they would feel if their parent took them to another country to study. student may demonstrate physical ailment or display a wide variety of unusual behavior such as aggression, depression, tantrums, tendency to withdraw, crying and sleeplessness. The teacher should therefore be aware of the culture shock and know how to handle such situations. The teacher should create frequent opportunities for their success in the classroom, give a lot of encouragement and praise on what the student can do and be careful not to call on them to perform what is above their level of competence. In this way the teacher create a nurturing environment for the student the teacher should establish a regular routine for the newcomers by giving them help in organizing space, time and material. he can achieve this by giving the a copy of daily schedule have them keep it at the front of their ESL notebook or tape it to their desk. From the beginning engage newcomers in language learning. the teacher can achieve this for example rote learning whereby students learn sight words, chants, poems, songs, list and spelling words through rote learning. Include them in class authority so that they can also see they are important members in the group, areas of expertise include math, computers, origami or art work. At first, student may not talk at all therefore the teacher needs to recruit volunteers to work with newcomers. It is critical to provide student with aural input in plenty in order to familiarize themselves with the English language. Students using headphones should be isolated from the rest of the class; this is a word of caution about the use of tapes and tape recorders. Appropriate reading materials for the ESL learners should at least include the following; story plots that are action based little text on each page, text that contains repetitive and predictable phrases, high-frequency vocabulary and useful words, text that employ simple sentenced structure, and numerous illustration that help clarify the text. when the teacher is reading to the ESL beginners he should make sure language is comprehensible therefore he should use reading strategies to increase students’ comprehension for example using expressive tone, reading sentence at a slow-to-normal pace. Literate and preliterate newcomers who speak a language that does not use Roman alphabet need direct instruction in letter recognition and formation as well as the phonetic beginners. The teacher teach phonetics in context the teacher can introduce and reinforce letter recognition beginning and ending sounds, rhyming words, blending silent words, homonyms etc through the use of authentic literature . since phonetic worksheets present new vocabulary out of context, they are generally useful to the newcomers. There are ten things the mainstream teacher can do to improve instruction for the ESL students. To begin with, the teacher should add gestures, point directly to objects, or draw pictures when appropriate, enunciate clearly, but do not raise his voice. Secondly, write legibly, clear, and in print . thirdly, he should try to avoid slang words and idioms; in addition, he should present new information in the context of known information and present information in a variety of ways. He should announce the lesson’s activities and objective, and list instructions step-by-step. Moreover, he should always emphasize key vocabulary words and provide frequent summations of the salient points of a lesson. The teacher should also recognize student success frequently and overtly, individual praises in some cultures are considered inappropriate and therefore embarrassing or confusing to the student. The teacher should use clear and consistent signals for classroom e should therefore develop and maintain routine. Finally If a student does not understand information you are delivering to them, try rephrasing or paraphrasing in shorter sentences and simpler syntax have students demonstrate their learning in order to show comprehension instead of asking them Do you understand? in this manner the teacher will check their understanding through repeating information and reviewing it frequently. The teachers need to know various teaching strategies when dealing with ESL student. Cooperative is one of the strategies. Robert E. Slavin (1995) has shown cooperative learning can be effective for students at all academic levels and learning styles. This method give all student frequent opportunities to speak this boost spirit of cooperation and friendship amongst students, student benefit from observing learning strategies used by their peers through shared learning activities. Language experience approach also known as Dictated stories is another strategy. Student’s words are used to create a text that will be used as a material for reading lesson. In this method students learn how their language is encoded as they watch it written down. It help student bring their personal experience in to classroom most important to culturally diverse student. Total physical response (TPR) is another strategy it. in reading comprehension the teacher should reduce the quantity of student reading at a time to be able to attend to individual level he should also modify materials to student’s decoding level, in addition, he should have students paraphrase verbally what has been read in the lesson . He should also eliminate visual distraction on page this is to enhance concentration span of students use of personal experience is important since it enhance understanding for example the teacher can encourage student to give their own experience after giving the his own to give them clue on what is meant in the lesson Conclusion Teachers are now responsible for education of student that they were not originally trained on the old adage of ‘good teaching will work for everyone is too simplistic to address the very real challenges that these teachers face. Teachers should take heart and work fully on their profession. Remember that when we are deliberate and informed about the learning that is taking place teaching becomes most powerful. This is usually true when we are teaching a student a completely different language their growth t are validated in the effort they put forth in your class and in life. ESL student can bring a wealth of information resources and culture with them yet they need our help in order to contribute to our classroom and society. By understanding some of the basic concepts that English as a second language specialists have known for years, content area teachers can tap into the resources that LEP students bring with them, making the transition to the mainstream classroom not only easier for the ESL student but also the content area teacher as well. Reference 1. Cummins, J. (1984).Bilingualism and special education: Issues in assessment and pedagogy. San Diego, CA: College-Hill. 2. Classroom modification http://www. spavinawok. net/CLASSROOM%20MODIFICATIONS. pdf. 3. Krashen, S. Terrell, T. (1983). The natural approach: Language acquisition in the classroom. Oxford: Pergamon Press. 4. Short, D. J. (1993). Assessing integrated language and content instruction. TESOL Quarterly, 27, (4), 627-656. 5. Teacher Discussion Forums: forums. eslcafe. com/teacher/viewtopic. php? t=448 44k Cached Similar pages

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Culture and Communication Essay -- Literature Analysis, Edward Hall

Culture and Communication Introduction In The Silent Language, Edward Hall’s (1959) seminal examination of non-verbal communication, it is ambiguous asserted that â€Å"culture is communication and communication is culture,† (217). Though this statement is obviously lacks for broad explanatory power, Hall nevertheless aptly articulates the crucial roles that culture plays in communication research. From its role in theories of communication to its treatment as a both the independent and the dependent variable in experimental studies, culture shapes the nature of what communication researchers, and speaks to the very heart of what communication is. This literature review will first briefly mention the historical origins of culture in communication research, and identify what has become the primary area of quantitative communication research into culture: intercultural communication. Next, we will examine the definition of culture that intercultural communication researchers have adopted. Last, we will explo re how this definition is applied through an exploration of the variables, levels of analysis, and other salient dimensions of communication. History & Motivation Even before Hall’s pithy equation of communication with culture, the earliest Communication scholars had identified the importance of culture in matters of communication. As Delia (1985) noted, Chicago sociologists were actively concerned with understanding how the flood of immigrants entering American cities at the turn of the century would integrate within this new society. In these earliest studies, communication was seen as a way to shape a culture that would allow immigrants to feel more American, with a unified culture acting as a mechanism for mitigati... ... individualism-collectivism refers to the degree to which a culture emphasizes the goals of an individual compared to the goals of the collective. (e.g. citations from Gudykunst p 40). Low-high uncertainty avoidance indicates shows the degree to which a culture tends towards consensus, and how much it is tolerant of deviant behavior. Power distance varies according to "the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organizations accept that power is distributed unequally," (Hofstede & Bond, 1984, p419). Last, masculinity-femininity refer to the amount that cultural systems "emphasize differentiated sex roles, performance, ambition, and independence," (Gudykunst & Ting-Tully, 1988, p. 48). Unlike work on acculturation, this work is generally cross-sectional, using surveys to determine the dimensions of acculturation at particular points in time.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

International Equity Markets

INTERNATIONAL EQUITY MARKETS Firms are financed with both debt and equity. Although the debt markets have been the center of activity in the international financial markets over the past three decades, there are signs that international equity capital is becoming more popular. Transaction of a foreign borrower in a domestic market in local currency is the predominant international equity activity. Foreign firms often issue new shares in foreign markets and list their stock on major stock exchanges, such as those in New York, Tokyo, or London. The purpose of foreign issues and listings is to expand the investor base in the hope of gaining access to capital markets in which the demand for shares of equity ownership is strong. A foreign firm that wants to list its shares on an exchange in the United States does so through American Depository Receipts (ADRs). These are the receipts to bank accounts that hold shares of the foreign firm’s stock in that firm’s country. The equities are actually in a foreign currency, so by holding them in a bank account and listing the receipt on the account on the American exchanges, the shares can be revalued in dollars and redivided so that the price per share is more typical of that of the U. S. equity markets ($20 to $60 per share frequently being the desired range). There was considerable growth in the 1990s in the euro-equity markets. A euro-equity issue is the simultaneous sale of a firm’s shares in several different countries, with or without listing the shares on an exchange in that country. The sales take place through investment banks. Once issued, most euro equities are listed at least on the Stock Exchange Automated Quotation System (SEAQ), the computer-screen quoting system of the International Stock Exchange (ISE) in London. Czinkota, Michael R. , Ilkka A. Ronkainen and Michael H. Moffett. Fundamentals of International Business. Mason: South-Western, 2004.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Why Do Parents Let Their Kids Get Fat?

http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/magazine-19661085 Child obesity: Why do parents let their kids get fat? Obesity experts say parents are struggling with a multitude of problems when it comes to their child's weight. They range from a lack of education about food, limited cooking skills and limited money to buy healthier food to longer working hours and marketing campaigns for junk food aimed at kids. Despite the rise in child obesity, experts say it's wrong to just blame parents. They definitely have a responsibility, but the issue is much broader than simply blaming them,† says Paul Gately, professor of exercise and obesity at Leeds Metropolitan University. Many parents don't realise their child is fat when it might be obvious to other people, he says. According to studies, 75% of parents underestimated the size of an overweight child, while 50% underestimated the size of an obese child.People also judge things on what they see around them on a daily basis, Gately says. Tracey adm its she let her daughter's weight creep up because â€Å"she was no bigger than some of her friends†. From a very early age children are very good at using a â€Å"whole set of behaviours† to get what they want, say experts. It's easy to judge but nearly every parent in the land has caved in to some sort of emotion blackmail from their child, says Gately. It just might not be about food.Charlie Powell, campaigns director of the Children's Food Campaign – an alliance of 150 education bodies, health groups and children's charities – says it's also hard for parents to stand up to the barrage of junk food advertising. A bit about food industry: There are huge hurdles they have to surmount to keep their children healthy. It's stuff that wasn't around in years gone by and food manufacturers are very sophisticated in the techniques they use to appeal to children. † A bit about media: A lot of it is because the images of obesity that we see in the media are people who are massive, 30 stone (190kg) or above. This is what a lot of people think of as being overweight, but they are extreme cases. It only takes a few extra pounds to actually be overweight. † A bit about social aspect: (bigger sizes are more tolerated bcause it’s not clear any more where is the limit of being fat; evwerybody around are bigger) â€Å"Two thirds of adults in the UK are now classified as overweight, so our perception of what we consider the average size to be has changed,† says Gately.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Publishing Opportunities Continue to Grow

Publishing Opportunities Continue to Grow The debate between traditional and self publishing continues, sometimes becoming very heated. In the midst of this debate a new publishing opportunity has arisen called Cooperative Publishing, sometimes billed as a middle option between traditional and self publishing. Sidebar: According to the Small Business Association, sba.gov/content/cooperative, the definition of a cooperative business is â€Å"a business or organization owned A publishing cooperative, in its purest sense, includes a group of authors, editors, proofreaders and sometimes graphic designers and marketing experts, who join together to publish one another’s books. No one in the group receives a salary and they each receive royalties from the sales of the books. This is a fairly new business model for publishing that is growing in momentum around the country. One such coop is the Columbus Creative Cooperative http://columbuscoop.org/about_columbus_creative_cooperative.php in Columbus, Ohio led The CCC has grown to a larger model over the six years they have been together according to Pauquette. It’s decentralized with each person doing their own thing. No one receives a salary and they receive a percentage of the profits at the end of the year. In addition to the publishing opportunities CCC offers writing workshops, writing critique sessions and writing contests to develop their writing talents. Columbus Creative Cooperative publishes print and e-books and thus far has stayed with the anthology genre. Pauqette decides on a theme and announce the call for submissions; the paid members go through several layers of review until Pauquette makes the final decision on which stories will make the final cut for the book in process. Authors then sign a contract for the sales and profits for an equal share of the profits. Once the choices are made the book goes through the editing, proofreading and final production stage. The group has three different member levels, each with a different cost and having different benefits, all of which are explained on the website. Although there are not required responsibilities for the members Pauqette feels it works out fairly for everyone because, â€Å"You get back what you put in.† Pauqette says they sell their books through several local retailers such as coffee shops, restaurants, etc. as well as attending festivals. Their vendor program encourages authors to attend the festivals and to submit their other books for consideration to be included at local vendors, festivals and on the CCC website if accepted. They also offer a self publishing option for authors looking for a quality and affordable means to self publish their own books. CCC has no benefactors so our titles have to be successful in the book market. If we dont put out quality books that people want to buy, the cycle breaks down. Other publishing cooperatives include: Maine Authors Publishing maineauthorspublishing.com Book View Cafà © http://bookviewcafe.com/bookstore/about-book-view-cafe Vala Publishers valapublishers.coop/about-vala Word Branch Publishing wordbranch.com/faqs.html

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

On the Use of Nemesis

On the Use of Nemesis On the Use of Nemesis On the Use of Nemesis By Maeve Maddox Chris Mentzer asks: What is the difference between enemy and nemesis?   What is the purpose of using the word Arch before each? Nemesis is a stronger word than enemy. Enemy is an unfriendly or hostile person. Nemesis is an avenging force. In classical mythology Nemesis was the goddess of retribution. She punished both hubris (false pride) and wrongdoing. The goddess represents the idea that one cannot escape divine retribution. Lowercase nemesis came into the language in 1597 with the meaning â€Å"retributive justice.† One of my favorite Agatha Christie mysteries has the title Nemesis. In it Miss Marple is portrayed as Nemesis, tracking down a murderer many years after the crime was committed. Conan Doyle called Professor Moriarty â€Å"the nemesis of Sherlock Holmes.† If it hadn’t been for the insistence of outraged readers, â€Å"The Final Problem† would have been the final Holmes story. It ends with Holmes and Moriarty plunging to their (presumed) deaths from the top of the Reichenbach Falls. Each was the other’s nemesis. The prefix arch- is from Greek arkhos, â€Å"chief.† It is added to many words to indicate primacy. In the word archangel the prefix is pronounced [ark]. In other words the pronunciation is [arch]. archangel [rkÄ njÉ™l] archdiocese [rch-dÄ «Ã‰â„¢-sÄ ­s] archenemy [rch-Ä•nÉ™-mÄ“] archdeacon [rch-dÄ“kÉ™n] archduke [rch-dÃ… «k, -dyÃ… «k] To place the prefix arch- in front of enemy is to strengthen the word. An archenemy is the most significant among several enemies. Placing the prefix arch- in front of nemesis is to weaken what is a powerful word in no need of intensification. Both Nemesis and nemesis carry the connotation of implacability. One can defeat one’s enemies. Rarely can one escape one’s nemesis. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:30 Synonyms for â€Å"Meeting†"Confused With" and "Confused About""To Tide You Over"

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Anishinaabe Tribe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Anishinaabe Tribe - Essay Example In addition, it fuels feelings of animosity and hatred among people that are to co-exist mutually, helping each other in times of need. This paper examines a fishing controversy that has happened between two tribes in the Spear fishing Walleye in Wisconsin, stressing on the importance of the Lac Du Flambeau, an Ojibwe person to spear fish in the Valley, without necessarily having to seek permission from the Wisconsin Authorities. The fishes existing in the Walleye Valley are meant for economic and social use by the natives of this place. These people are meant to be the custodians of the river and the resources in it, and ensure that they exploit them for their welfare. In this case, they are mandated to use them for food, as well as important products for sale in the market in order to improve their economic welfare. As a native Ojibwe resident, it is important to note that this valley existed from time immemorial, where our ancestors used it for their economic lives. They would fish in this river to get food for their stomachs as well as sold some to advance their economic welfare. During this time, the ancestors did not have to get permission from authorities in order to use and manage these resources; they were motivated by their conscience to take good care of these resources for the welfare of the future generations. The conservation and management practices used by ancestors have been passed on the succeeding generations. This is something that should prompt the Wisconsin authorities to understand that the natives of Walleye in Wisconsin have the capacity to conserve and manage the fishing grounds and exploit them for their economic and social gains. In this case, they should be allowed to go on with spear fishing in the valley without having to worry that the resource will be misused. Another important consideration in allowing the Ojibwe people to spear fish in their traditional way is that this fishing style is does not lead to