Free Essays on Cultures Effect On Language

were prevalent in the languages of yesterday. multiculturalism: (specific to America) more and more Latin people entering the country, causing a rise in bilingual education and bilingual people, affecting the core language of America, their culture affecting our core language, English cultural evolving of communication which has a trickle-down effect on language: Pony Express, telegraph, telephone, email all had or have different forms of communication Pony Express (just America)- often had lengthy, draw-out letters to friends, loved ones, anyone because delivery was so slow, so an individual would have to put all the events and such that had happened in between long letter deliveries, wonderfully descriptive language painted pictures and happenings for people to imagine on the receiving end telegraph- was short and concise communication because of the construction of the network and the way language was sent an... Free Essays on Culture's Effect On Language Free Essays on Culture's Effect On Language Culture’s Effect on Language generation-specific language Different generations in cultures have common word usage, grammar, slang. Language will mold to the current culture. For example, grammar rules have changed over and over in the U.S. from 1900 up to the current date to adapt to the current cultural status of the country. Each generation in cultures has words or slang specific only to each era, words that fit the current culture which made be laid back, uptight, military, etc., and most of the slang for the era will dissolve in the given culture’s language, but it will not be forgotten. We now live in a heavily technology-based society, all of the cultures do. So now, we have new words such as email, hard disk, Microsoft, catadioptrics, laser disk, Botox, and Bill Gates in our language. All of these words are influenced by our machine-driven culture of today. None of these words were prevalent in the languages of yesterday. multiculturalism: (specific to America) more and more Latin people entering the country, causing a rise in bilingual education and bilingual people, affecting the core language of America, their culture affecting our core language, English cultural evolving of communication which has a trickle-down effect on language: Pony Express, telegraph, telephone, email all had or have different forms of communication Pony Express (just America)- often had lengthy, draw-out letters to friends, loved ones, anyone because delivery was so slow, so an individual would have to put all the events and such that had happened in between long letter deliveries, wonderfully descriptive language painted pictures and happenings for people to imagine on the receiving end telegraph- was short and concise communication because of the construction of the network and the way language was sent an...

Charles Lindbergh essays

Charles Lindbergh essays In today's society, one can become famous for the slightest task. Many of today's heroes and idols have never accomplished anything truly great. Some are admired for their looks, acting ability, or simply for being in the right place at the right time. However, Charles Augustus Lindbergh is one American hero that truly earned the fame and respect that he received. Lindbergh's fame began in 1927, when his dreams of making the flight between New York and Paris were beginning to be realized. Between the months of March and May, Charles supervised the construction of the Spirit of St. Louis, the airplane that would later fulfill his dream. Soon after its completion, Lindbergh set a speed record for a flight between San Diego and St. Louis. At this point, Americans began to recognize him as a competitor in the race across the Atlantic. Finally, on May 20, 1927, he embarked on his journey to France. On May 21, Lindbergh touched down at Le Bourget Airport in Paris. Although recognized as a national hero, Charles' influence in American history didn't end with the transatlantic flight. Lindbergh tragically became the center of the "trial of the century," became deeply involved in the World War II controversy, and was involved in other foreign affairs. In 1913, Charles Lindbergh had his first experience with an airplane. Playing inside his home one afternoon, he heard the far off drone of an engine. Presuming the noise to be that of an automobile, Charles went on playing. Soon, the drone turned into a roar, and he knew that it had to be something else. Walking out onto his roof, he saw that the noise was an airplane. The sight of the airplane caused Charles to dream of flying for the rest of his childhood. In 1912, Charles' father bought a new car, a Model-T Ford that the family named Maria. At the age of eleven, Charles learned to drive the car and after a great deal of practice, became a more proficient driver...

Marketing 521 - Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Marketing 521 - Discussion - Assignment Example Moreover, if the employees are made to perceive the organization positively, they become motivated to work in the organization increasing their productivity. The management of an organization may decide on the values and characteristics the organization wants the public to associate it with. When the desired values have been established, they should be translated in to appealing marketing language. The Public relation’s department should then popularize the values among the employees in the organization before publicizing it eternally. Ethics refer to the moral values and principles that guide a person in decision making (Brenkert, 2008). Several ethical issues exist in the field of marketing. Predatory pricing in developing countries by large corporations to drive out competition is an ethical issue. Through this pricing method, competitors are denied their livelihood by large organizations by being driven out of business. Price fixing is another illegal activity in marketing. This happens when traders conspire to regulate prices of commodities so as to remain at a particular level for their mutual benefits. They manipulate supply and demand so that prices favor their profitability. The consumers are left on the receiving side since they have no choice, but to buy commodities at the exaggerated

Border Security and the Threat of Terrorism Essay

Border Security and the Threat of Terrorism - Essay Example Views that by effectively securing its borders, amerce will have effectively assuaged the threat of terrorism by a half is rife. This view is predicated on the knowledge that money laundering, illicit drug trade, illegal immigrants and trade in other contraband products crucially depend on border security lapses and are key to terrorist activities. Background of the Study Events that surrounded and defined September 11th, 2001 totally reshaped American foreign policies, and security measures. By and by, the US government has become cognizant of the fact that strengthening its intelligence against terrorist threats would not in itself suffice. To America, for an attack of a high magnitude such as the September 11th, 2001 to occur, there must have been security lapse in border security. The veracity of this observation is clearly seen in the fact that every one of the 19 September 11th terrorist hijackers had received temporary American tourist visas and had outmaneuvered the screening department. The gravity of the matter is also seen in the fact that the Canadian border which measures 4,855 km long, the Mexican border which measures 3,111 km long and the presence of other unsecured ports leave the US vulnerable. It is against this backdrop that, America created Homeland Security in 2002 while passing and ratifying other measures that would render the airports, seaports and land borders more secure. Methodology The data that has been used in the investigation is both qualitative and quantitative. The need to use quantitative data is underscored by the fact that terrorism and border security are phenomena that can be analyzed in numeric and non-quantified manner. The reality that underpins terrorism can be expressed in quantities and may include: the number of victims and the funds that have been used in launching terrorist onslaughts and counterterrorism activities. On the other hand, the non-quantifiable aspects of border security and the national threat of ter rorism may include; the ideological difference that bifurcates and sows discord between America and proponents if Islamist ideology and the value of human life which is too sacrosanct to allow quantification. On the other hand, this paper has factored the use of both primary and secondary data. Primary data involves information that has been compiled by authorities and responsible agencies, concerning terrorism. Conversely, secondary data, referring to data that has undergone analyses and interpretation have been used, in order to widen the scope of ideas and facts that define and characterize American border security and the threat of national security to terrorism. Literature Review Steinmetz1 observes that there are other experts and authorities such as Michael Chertoff (Homeland Security secretary) who see the issue of border security and the manner in which it can avert the threat of national security as a matter that must not go unabated. Chertoff, for instance, maintains that even with the measures that the US, through Homeland Security has put in place; there will always be attempts at evading the American border security by terrorists.

Starbucks Introduction of Kind Bars Essay Example for Free

Starbucks Introduction of Kind Bars Essay â€Å"A Small Player Breaks Into Starbucks,† Starbucks has recently started a campaign to provide more healthy products to its consumers. This is considered quite the change since coffee, Starbucks primary product, is not necessarily thought of as healthy. To help start of this campaign it has agreed to start selling KIND bars, which are â€Å"combinations of dried fruits and nuts bound together by honey (NY Times). KIND bars seem to fit in great with the direction Starbucks is going, but they did not always. It took Daniel Lubetzky, owner of KIND, over five years of promoting his product to Starbucks to even get his foot in the door. 2. ) SWOT Analysis-Starbucks Strengths Coffee industry market leader * Customer satisfaction and strong brand loyalty * Free Wi-Fi available for customers * Innovative operations and a strong financial position * Strong product diversification Weaknesses * Although a diversified company, still strong reliance on coffee products for profit * High operating costs Downsizing * High prices on products * Competition is rising in their growing market Opportunities * Coffee Beans to be sold in stores * Brand Extension * Expansion to South Asian Markets * Provide more cost-and health-conscious products Threats * Competition * Rising number of health-conscious customers * Corporate giant image * Resistance in foreign countries due to political and cultural issues * Variation in coffee price in developing countries 3. ) Identification, Evaluation and Analysis of Alternatives KIND bars are not the only thing Starbucks is going to be offering in its new campaign. They plan to revamp the menu, introducing a variety of lighter and healthier foods such as salads, smoothies and fruit muffins. So why did Starbucks choose to introduce the KIND bar when it could of chosen Clif bars or SOYJOY bars, both more established than KIND. Clif is currently the market leader in nutrition bars and SOYJOY is widely international with distribution from Singapore to Belgium. It could be due to Mr. Lubetzky’s determination, or maybe because of KIND’s marketing mix. 4. )Recommendations and Conclusions KIND would be very appealing to Starbucks consumers for numerous reasons and this makes it obvious to Starbucks that it will be a good investment. KIND donates five percent of its profit to the PeaceWorks Foundation, â€Å"which strives to bring peace to Middle Eastern countries by building commercial food ventures (NY Times). † This makes the consumer feel good about their purchase because they feel as if they are contributing to a good cause. Also, Yale did a pilot study indicating that two KIND bars a day can help consumers lose weight. This is attractive to buyers due to the fact that around two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. KIND also promotes there products to be, â€Å"a brand of delicious, natural, healthful foods made from wholesome ingredients you can see amp; pronounce ®(KINDsnacks). † In a world where it seems that everything you consume has preservatives and who knows what else in them, KIND stands out in the crowd. Finally, with the price of $1. 5 at Starbucks, the deal cannot be beat, especially compared to relative prices of coffee at Starbucks. With all these advantages there is no question that Starbucks made the right decision in choosing KIND. This collaboration with to help offset Starbucks threats such as the rising number of health-conscious consumers, which is the basis of its campaign. An additional threat that may be counterbalanced is its image as a corporate giant because of their acceptance of a small business. Source Links: http://www. nytimes. om/2009/07/01/business/smallbusiness/01snackbar. html? ref=marketing http://www. kindsnacks. com/kind-store/buy-kind-bars Periodical Exercise 1. ) Problem/Decision Statement According to an article in BusinessWeek in 2012, titled, â€Å"Taco Bell introduces Doritos taco shell†, on March 8th Taco Bell introduced Doritos Locos to over 5,600 stores nationwide. Doritos Locos are like regular crunchy tacos but, it has a shell made with nacho cheese Doritos. This is considered one of the biggest product launches in the history of the company. Taco Bell has already confirmed their budget of $75 million to promote their new launch (BusinessWeek). This is over three times more of a budget than for previous new products. Doritos Locos is just the latest of many things Taco Bell has been trying to do to improve their menu. But the question is whether or not this is the right time to be taking on such a big market introduction, with the recent bad publicity caused by lawsuits attacking the quality of their beef. 2. ) SWOT Analysis- Taco Bell Strengths * Huge popular brand name and high brand loyalty Adopted a healthy trans-fat free formula which is a key competitive advantage over other competitors who has not yet switched to the healthier recipes. * Has the acknowledgment as the best Mexican style fast food restaurant in the U. S. * Owns over 5600 restaurants across the nation and 250 outlets internationally * Strong parent company, Yum! Brands, owns Pizza Hut and KFC as well * Open very late Weaknesses * High fat and high calorie food not good for health conscious people * Lost goodwill when customers were hospitalized due to traces of E. oli bacteria * Bad publicity due to lawsuits against quality of beef * Also lost goodwill for human rights protest in ’05 and rodent problem in ‘07 Opportunities * New flavors and recipes should be introduced especially focused on more health conscious ingredients in their menus * Introduce home delivery * Venture into new markets such as India, like Pizza Hut and KFC, that has a growing consumption of fast food Threats * Research and the raised awareness among consumers about the harmful health impacts of fast food consumption. The trans-fats, sugars, oils and salts which are ingredients of the fast foods being offered, are thus consumed in low proportions by the aware and educated consumers * Highly labor intensive which increases the subjectivity involved in the delivery of services * Threats from competitors of Taco Bell such as McDonalds and Subway 3. ) Identification, Evaluation and Analysis of Alternatives Since the Frito Lay Corporation is obviously the market leader in any type of corn chip, tortilla chip or any chip for that matter, there are not really any big alternatives that would be better than Doritos. Even if Taco bell would have gone with Tostitos or Santitas, other tortilla chip brands, instead, it wouldn’t have made much of a difference because they are still owned by Frito Lay. An alternative that Taco Bell should have considered is the Baked Doritos in place of regular fried Doritos. For the reason that many empty calories and trans fat comes from â€Å"hidden† oil and Baked Doritos might help with Taco Bell trying to gain an edge on the competition through the health conscious route. 4. ) Recommendations and Conclusions Doritos Locos would be very appealing to Taco Bells consumers for numerous reasons and this makes it obvious to Taco Bell that it will be a good investment. Honestly I believe that Taco Bell’s decision to launch Doritos Locos is an incredible idea for many reasons but at the same time it does have some drawbacks. Doritos are one of America’s top favorite snacks and to combine that with Americas top Mexican style fast food restaurant just seems like the great idea never before had. Doritos come in many flavors and so should Doritos Locos, such as Cool Ranch, Smoky Chipotle BBQ and Fiery Habanero (Frito-Lay). This new rollout may also shift consumers focus from the negativity of the recent lawsuits and bad publicity to the positivity of this inevitably delicious and profitable collaboration. Then again, because of the large percentage of overweight and obese Americans and a strong desire to switch to health smart ingredients, Doritos Locos may just be perceived as another fattening product line put out by the gluttonous fast food industry.

Tension and Conflict in Mending Wall :: Mending Wall Essays

Tension and Conflict in Mending Wall    The conflict in "Mending Wall" develops as the speaker reveals more and more of himself while portraying a native Yankee and responding to the regional spirit he embodies. The opposition between observer and observed--and the tension produced by the observer's awareness of the difference--is crucial to the poem. Ultimately, the very knowledge of this opposition becomes itself a kind of barrier behind which the persona, for all his dislike of walls, finds himself confined. But at the beginning, the Yankee farmer is not present, and the persona introduces himself in a reflective, offhanded way, musing about walls: Something there is that doesn't love a wall, That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it And spills the upper boulders in the sun, And makes gaps even two can pass abreast. Clearly, he is a casual sort. He broaches no difficult subjects, nor does he insist on talking about himself; yet Frost is at his best in a sentence like this. Through the language and rhythm of the lines we gain a faint but unmistakable sense of the poem's conflict. Like the "frozen-ground-swell," it gathers strength while lying buried beneath the denotative surface of the poem. From the start, we suspect that the speaker has more sympathy than he admits for whatever it is "that doesn't love a wall." Frost establishes at the outset his speaker's discursive indirection. He combines the indefinite pronoun "something" with the loose expletive construction "there is" to evoke a ruminative vagueness even before raising the central subject of walls. A more straightforward character (like the Yankee farmer) might condense this opening line to three direct words: "Something dislikes walls." But Frost employs informal, indulgently convoluted language to provide a linguistic texture for the dramatic conflict that develops later in the poem. By using syntactical inversion ("something there is . . .") to introduce a rambling, undisciplined series of relative clauses and compound verb phrases ("that doesn't love . . . that sends . . . and spills . . . and makes . . ."), he evinces his persona's unorthodox, unrestrained imagination. Not only does this speaker believe in a strange force, a seemingly intelligent, natural or supernatural "something" that "sends the frozen-ground-swell" to ravage the wall, but his speech is also charged with a deep sensitivity to it. The three active verbs ("sends," "spills," "makes") that impel the second, third, and fourth lines forward are completed by direct objects that suggest his close observation of the destructive process.

Language and Cognition Essay

Language is very complex and the manner at which humans learn language is even more complex. Language is more than just words and with words there are also definitions this paper will explain what language and lexicon is. Language is connected to cognitive functions in so many ways that this is better explained throughout the paper. There are key features in language that is developed during childhood and continues to grow as children get bigger. Language has a structure and processing through four levels. These levels better help humans understand language and communicate to one another. The connections in language processing and cognitive psychology are better understood later on in this paper. First to start off with a better understanding of what language and lexicon is. When a duck quacks, a dog barks, a horse neighs, and a cow moos everyone knows that they are communicating, these sounds do not however make up language. According to (Merriam-Webster’s Third New Internati onal Dictionary Unabridged) language is an â€Å"audible, articulate, meaningful sound as produced by the action of the vocal organs†. Language and communication is structured, to communicate there must be arbitrary, considered generative and dynamic. Animal sounds are audible they are produced by an action of vocal organs but they are not structured. An animal’s noise is composed of a single sound. In addition to the human cognitive functions and language assimilation, is how the brain has a mental dictionary that holds all of symbols of words. According to (Merriam-Webster’s Third New International Dictionary Unabridged) lexicon is â€Å"a book containing an alphabetical or other systematic arrangement of the words in a language or of a considerable number of them and their definitions†. Lexicon’s record accumulated spelling and pronunciation; humans also recognize words by evaluating what he or she has perceived hearing with these recordings. Humans will compare animal communication sounds using the stored lexicon to decide if the sounds make up a known language. Caldwell-Harris (2008) notes â€Å"words represented with links to their typical linguistic contexts will help explain the ever present influence of context on word meaning† (p. 170). Therefore, there would be no meaning to a human and an animal to communicate between each other because there are not words or contexts to understand. Furthermore, an understanding of language is more than the definition and lexicon, but includes the key features of language. Humans are pre-programmed to learn language; there is also a critical period which is where someone can learn effortlessly. According to (Willingham, 2007, p. 423) â€Å"there is fairly strong evidence that our brains are prepared to learn language, and with relatively little prompting, will do so†. Children learn in stage starting with babbling and cooing. According to (Hollich, 2006, p. 10) â€Å"to learn a word, infants must represent both the acoustic form and then make the connection to an external, possibly unfamiliar, object†. As children are learning to pronounce vowels and consonants they put together words, as they do this they also look at objects to match with the words. Chrysikou, Novick, Trueswell, & Thompson-Schill (2011) note â€Å"specifically, an increase in the spontaneous use of inner verbal strategies during development may support aspects of top-down control in task-shifting, by selecting and maintaining task-relevant goals, remembering task order , or retrieving task-relevant information† (p. 254). With repetition the key features of language are learned, and humans begin to form structure and begin to use the key features of language. There are four key features of language phonemes, words, sentences, and text. These key features are the structure and processing used in cognitive psychology. When listening to the pronunciations a person learning the language also needs to know how to identify it. Cognitive process helps us to learn these different words and how to spell, speak, and the meaning of each word. According to (Willingham, 2008, P. 454) if the phoneme string matches an entry, the word has been identified, and the cognitive system has access to the other properties of the word, including the spelling, part of speech, and meaning. The individual sounds that make up the audible and written copy of words are known as phonemes. There are about 200 phonemes used worldwide, but only about 46 are used in the English language. Through the above mentioned lexicon, people are able to determine a spelling and pronunciation of each word. With this ability humans are able to make coherent sentences with noun phrase and verb phrases. When this is completed it is where the significant formation of actual text is possible. A person can know phonemes, words, and sentences but to really carry on a conversation a person must correctly understand the language this is text. A branch of psychology is cognitive psychology and this area explores the function of mental processes connected to attending, thinking, perceiving, language, and memory. The English language has different sounds for letters as well for example kit and skill, the k sound is different in both words but the letter is the same. Each language has their own pronunciations as well as meanings but they are all diverse. According to (Evans and Levinson, 2009, P. 431) â€Å"the crucial fact for understanding the place of language in human cognition is its diversity. For example, languages may have less than a dozen distinctive sounds, or they may have 12 dozen, and sign languages do not use sounds at all†. There are quite a few functions used in cognitively one of which is memory. Memory is a big part of language and understanding the meaning of words. Humans learn language by repetition and memory to recall definitions and perceptions of the different words in the world around them. In conclusion cognitive psychology and the process of language is connected more than one might believe. Understanding our world around us through experiences is not the only way our mind works. Through language and lexicon, a person recalls information he or she has learned from previous experiences to better understand the lexicon and remember it. The key features of language are that humans are programmed to learn language and understand it. While humans learn the language they move through the four levels of structure and processing to get to communication. Communication is not just understanding the words but also making clear sentences and text as learned in this paper. References: CALDWELL-HARRIS, C. (2008). Language research needs an â€Å"emotion revolution† and distributed models of the lexicon. Bilingualism, 11(2), 169-171. doi:10.1017/S1366728908003301 Chrysikou, E. G., Novick, J. M., Trueswell, J. C., & Thompson-Schill, S. L. (2011). The Other Side of Cognitive Control: Can a Lack of Cognitive Control Benefit Language and Cognition?. Topics In Cognitive Science, 3(2), 253-256. doi:10.1111/j.1756-8765.2011.01137.x Evans, N., & Levinson, S. C. (2009). The myth of language universals: Language diversity and its importance for cognitive science. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 32(5),429-48;discussion 448-494. doi:10.1017/S0140525X0999094X Hollich, G. (2006). Combining techniques to reveal emergent effects in infants segmentation, word learning, and grammar. Language and Speech, 49, 3-19. http://search.proquest.com /docview/213732301?accountid=35812 Merriam-Webster’s Third New International Dictionary Unabridged [Accessed June 18, 2012]. Willingham, D.T. (2007). Cognitions: The thinking animal (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Allyn & Bacon.

Freshwater & resource Essay

Freshwater is a valuable natural resource, but freshwater is only 3% of the total volume of water in the world. Two-thirds of this is found in glaciers and polar ice caps; thus leaves only 1% which can be readily acquired. Humans and other living organism on Earth need water to be able to survive. Freshwater is important in the transportation of nutrients in soil and is necessary for the propagation of plantations that support life for other organisms. Freshwater is a scarce resource; however it is easily contaminated by human activities. Human activities such as mining can contaminate rivers with heavy metals. It can also disrupt the ecological balance that requires the use of freshwater. Farmers who use excessive pesticide can contaminate freshwater supplies. Pesticides sip into the soil and flows to rivers when it rains. This human activities causes health problems, not only to humans but to other organisms as well. In some regions of the world, freshwater is not used efficiently. Irrigations and artificial dams disturb the water ecosystem. Irrigations and artificial dams direct the flow of freshwater to other paths which can harm organism who highly require freshwater. The ecological balance is destroyed which can affect several organisms that is part of the ecosystem. Excessive irrigation also induces desertification. Desertification is the decline of biological and economic activity of the soil. Desertification has been seen places around the world, such as China wherein farmers used irrigation inefficiently. Freshwater is renewable but it should be used in way that nothing is wasted. More and more people over the world are experiencing the lack of freshwater. Creating an effective water management is the only solution for this problem. References Richter, B. (2003). Ecologically sustainable water management: managing river flows for ecological integrity. Ecological Applications , 13 (1), 206-224

The eNotes Blog The Rabbit of Easter, He Brings of the Chocolate

The Rabbit of Easter, He Brings of the Chocolate In his hilarious collection of essays Me Talk Pretty One Day, David Sedaris describes trying to explain both the secular and religious aspects of the Easter holiday to a class learning French. The students come from many different countries, and most do not speak French very well at all. A student from Morocco is completely unfamiliar with any aspect of the holiday. The class attempts, in their broken way, to explain it to her: Excuse me, but whats an Easter? It would seem that despite having grown up in a Muslim country, she would have heard it mentioned once or twice, but no. I mean it, she said. I have no idea what you people are talking about. The teacher called on the rest of us to explain. The Poles led the charge to the best of their ability. It is, said one, a party for the little boy of God who call his self Jesus. She faltered and her fellow country-man came to her aid. He call his self Jesus and then he be die one day on twomorsels oflumber. The rest of the class jumped in, offering bits of information that would have given the pope an aneurysm. He die one day and then he go above of my head to live with your father. He weared of himself the long hair and after he die, the first day he come back here for to say hello to the peoples. He nice, the Jesus. He make the good things, and on the Easter we be sad because somebody makes him dead today. Part of the problem had to do with vocabulary. Simple nouns such as cross and resurrection were beyond our grasp, let alone such a complicated reflexive phrases as to give of yourself your only begotten son. Faced with the challenge of explaining the cornerstone of Christianity, we did what any self-respecting group of people might do. We talked about food instead. Easter is a party for to eat of the lamb, the Italian nanny explained. One too may eat of the chocolate. And who brings the chocolate? the teacher asked. I knew the word, so I raised my hand, saying, The rabbit of Easter. He bring of the chocolate. A rabbit? The teacher, assuming Id used the wrong word, positioned her index fingers on top of her head, wriggling them as though they were ears. You mean one of these? A rabbit rabbit? Well, sure, I said. He come in the night when one sleep on bed. Which a hand he have a basket and foods. The teacher sighed and shook her head. As far as she was concerned, I had just explained everything wrong with my country. No, no, she said. Here in France the chocolate is brought by a a big bell that flies in from Rome. I called for a time-out. But how do the bell know where you live? Well, she said, how does a rabbit? It was a decent point, but at least a rabbit has eyes. Thats a start. Rabbits move from place to place, while most bells can only go back and forth and they cant even do that on their own power. On top of that, the Easter Bunny has character. Hes someone youd like to meet and shake hands with. A bell has all the personality of a cast-iron skillet. Its like saying that come Christmas, a magic dustpan flies in from the North Pole, led by eight flying cinder blocks. Who wants to stay up all night so they can see a bell? And why fly one in from Rome when theyve got more bells than they know what do to with here in Paris? Thats the most implausible aspect of the whole story, as theres no way the bells of France would allow a foreign worker to fly in and take their jobs. That Roman bell would be lucky to get work cleaning up after a French bells dog and even then hed need papers. It just didnt add up. Nothing we said was of any help to the Moroccan student. A dead man with long hair supposedly living with her father, a leg of lamb served with palm fronds and chocolate; equally confused and disgusted, she shrugged her massive shoulders and turned her attention to the comic book she kept hidden beneath her binder. I wondered then if, without the language barrier, my classmates and I could have done a better job making sense of Christianity, an idea that sounds pretty far-fetched to begin with. In communicating any religious belief, the operative word is faith, a concept illustrated by our very presence in that classroom. Why bother struggling with the grammar lessons of a six-year-old if each of us didnt believe that, against all reason, we might eventually improve? If I could hope to one day carry on a fluent conversation, it was a relatively short leap to believing that a rabbit might visit my home in the middle of the night, leaving behind a handful of chocolate kisses and a carton of menthol cigarettes. So why stop there? If I could believe in myself, why not give other improbabilties the benefit of the doubt? I told myself that despite her past behavior, my teacher was a kind and loving person who had only my best interests at heart. I accepted the idea that an omniscient God had cast me in his own image and that he watched over me and guided me from one place to the next. The Virgin Birth, the Ressurrection, and countless miracles my heart expanded to encompass all the wonders and possibilities of the universe. A bell, though thats *^%$# up. Image via news.com.au So, how did we come to believe that a rabbit brings children chocolate on Easter? Well, apparently it all started with those wacky Germans as early as the 1500s. When Germans immigrated to Pennsylvania Dutch Country, they brought the tradition with them, some time in the 18th century. Why?  Both rabbits and birds are excellent breeders whose litters arrive in the early Spring. They became symbols of fertility. Okay. That makes sense. But how did rabbits come to be carrying eggs, hmmm? Eggs are also a symbol of fertility. Early Catholics dyed eggs red to symbolize the blood of Christ and the hope for a new beginning. The German Protestants thought the dyed eggs were pretty nifty, but they were not down with the Catholic dictate to not eat eggs during Lent. Since Catholics were not scarfing them down for several weeks, there was an abundance of eggs. Protestants also began using other colors to make the eggs more festive. Okay So. Bunnies, eggs, fertility, German Catholics, German Protestants, Pennsylvania Getting to the rabbit/egg combo. Kids, of course, thought the eggs were fabulous and since theres nothing more fun than scaring kids, the Pennsylvania Dutch Germans told them that only good children would receive specially decorated eggs and they came up with the myth of the egg- laying bunny. The children were directed to make little nests out of their hats before Easter. If they were indeed good, the bunny would bring them eggs. Chocolate soon made its way into Easter baskets and as Americans, we all thought that was a swell idea. Easter is the third largest candy-consuming holiday. Ninety MILLION chocolate bunnies are produced every year. And the only question is: do you eat the ears, feet, or tail first? Id tell you about the French and their Flying Bell, but Im with Sedaris:   thats #%$d up. (Featured Image via The Herald Chronicle)

Synonyms for Car

Synonyms for Car Synonyms for â€Å"Car† Synonyms for â€Å"Car† By Mark Nichol The question of how to refer to one of the most integral artifacts of modern civilization illustrates the value of synonyms: The word a writer uses to refer to a car can assign value to that object and help the reader gauge nuances of the writer’s tone. Car is a perfectly suitable, utilitarian word, but so many other possibilities await the resourceful writer. The formal term, automobile, and its truncated form, auto, are useful for elegant variation, conveyance conveys a highfalutin feel, and motorcar has a vintage connotation. Meanwhile, vehicle is inclusive of other types of motorized transportation. For mock-poetic humorous effect, a writer might refer to his or her chariot or phaeton. (The latter is one of many synonyms for carriage, most of which, like phaeton, are obscure but can, given supporting syntax, be clear to the reader.) More informally, among other possible jocular references are buggy for a small, humble car and â€Å"babe magnet† (or my own clunky but precise coinage, â€Å"midlife-crisis-mobile†) for a particularly sleek, sporty car. (Of course, â€Å"babe magnet† can also be applied ironically to a car that is anything but alluring.) Words and phrases that describe the category or size of vehicle include compact, convertible, coupe, hardtop, hatchback, sedan, â€Å"sports car† (or roadster, which can have a jaunty tone in the midst of lighthearted language), â€Å"sport utility vehicle,† â€Å"station wagon,† subcompact, truck, and van. Specific car brands inspire nicknames: Beamer or Beemer (BMW), Chevy (Chevrolet), Lambo (Lamborghini). Pejorative terms include beater, bucket, clunker, crate, heap, jalopy, junker, rattletrap, and wreck. (â€Å"Gas guzzler,† meanwhile, emphasizes a car’s lack of fuel economy, and â€Å"land yacht† also indicates excessive size.) Among the celebratory slang terms are ride (an example of a verb converted to a noun) and wheels or â€Å"set of wheels† (examples of synecdoche, in which the name of a part represents the whole). 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 Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Addressing A Letter to Two PeopleRound vs. AroundRunning Errands and Doing Chores

Cold War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Cold War - Essay Example Allies disagreed on how the European map ought to be drawn. Western allies desired democratic governments. Independent governments would resolve their differences through international organizations.Defeat of Japan and Potsdam conferenceAfter the defeat of Germany, differences arise on the progress of Germany and the other countries in central and Eastern Europe. Truman announces of their atomic bomb to Stalin. A week after this conference USA bombs Hiroshima and Nagasaki which results in Japan’s unconditional surrender.Formation of eastern blockThe Soviets liberate central and EasternEurope territories from Nazi and make them among the eastern bloc. Stalin maintains control of the eastern bloc through force and secret Soviet police.Preparation of ‘new war’George F Kennan’s telegram from Moscow helped enforce US governments against the Soviets. This telegram became strategic base towards the Soviet Union during the cold war. Soviet respond to George telegra m with Novikov telegram. Soviet accuses the USA as monopoly capitalist and she was building up military capabilities. As the World War 2 came to end, mistrust and suspicion were rampant among states. The major cause of the cold war was dominance and spread of ideologies (communism and capitalism).The Soviet Union wished to spread communism ideology to the whole world. Americans also wanted to spread capitalism worldwide also.The atomic capability of America was a source of major suspicion and fear by the Soviets.

Real Choices at True Religion Jeans Research Paper

Real Choices at True Religion Jeans - Research Paper Example Denim is a huge industry with a very few entry barriers but an extensive and aggressive competition exists within the industry. An effective strategy is built on the basis of real choices and the SWOT analysis. True religion jeans have used a combination of both and have achieved success over the years. True Religion Jeans entered the market in 2002 and faced enormous competition. It used its strengths to establish itself and is now a well-known brand. It not only made the best use of the opportunities that were available, but instead created new opportunities for the brand. True Religion Jeans is a luxury brand and charges a high premium for the products that it sells. It has a strong brand image of quality and class. The strength of True Religion Jeans lies in its differentiation point. What is delivered to its customers is something totally different from the other competing brands. At True religion Jeans stress is laid upon the classic style which follows the theme of Bohemian life and style. It has played along the lines and has used this different style as its strength. Not only this, but the brand guarantees a best fit to its customers. True religion jeans target the high-end consumer, but still provide with a lifetime guarantee of its products and in case of a malfunction provide its customers with a replacement policy. Customers do not hesitate in paying a high premium for a pair of jeans from True religion because they know that the brand is providing them with value for money (Temperino 2010). One of the strengths of this brand is that it is present globally across different countries. They have developed their own retail stores for a direct consumer contact. First the brand used to sell through other distributors but now the company has opened several retail stores in USA. These stores provide the customers with the whole range of its products. The product is manufactured in USA and the company has not outsourced any of its operations. The design team at True Religion Jeans comprises of 26 members who constantly work according to the changes in consumer demand and environment. Currently the brand is targeting the celebrities as they are the ones who would be most attracted to the new fashion. True Religion Jeans targets a niche market and this can be counted as a weakness for the company. They are getting all their profits from the small group of high-end consumers. To overcome this weakness the company can come up with a product which is targeted towards the mass market. Another weakness is that True religion faces in tense completion from the competing brands and most of this competition comes from the brands that have the backing of some large corporations. The company of True religion Jeans is not backed up by any such large corporation which means that it has limited resources as compared to its competitors. The greatest opportunity that True religion Jeans has is that it can expand into the global market. It can find new markets to penetrate and can target new customers. True Religion Jeans has expanded its product line and has the opportunity to expand it further. This opportunity can turn into success because the brand name will be associated with any product that it decides to produce and in marketing brand name is what sells. So far expansion of its product line has been successful. It started in 2002, and now it is expanding at a relentless pace. This expansion is a possible threat for the firm itself. True Religion Jeans has the risk of saturating the market if it keeps on expanding at the same pace. (University of Oregan Investment Group 2010) True Religion is a brand which faces a problem in the near future because the brand is