Tips for Telephoning Native English Speakers

Tips for Telephoning Native English Speakers Have you ever had problems understanding native English speakers on the telephone? If so, you are not alone. All English learners have difficulties understanding people on the telephone. This is for a number of reasons: People speak too quicklyPeople dont pronounce the words wellThere are technical problems with the telephonesYou cant see the person you are speaking withIts difficult for people to repeat information This article focuses on the first and last problems listed above. Follow these tips to help you get native speakers of English to slow down! Immediately ask the person to speak slowly.When taking note of a name or important information, repeat each piece of information as the person speaks.  This is an especially effective tool. By repeating each important piece of information or each number or letter as the spell or give you a telephone number you automatically slow the speaker down.Do not say you have understood if you have not. Ask the person to repeat until you have understood.  Remember that the other person needs to make himself/herself understood and it is in his/her interest to make sure that you have understood. If you ask a person to explain more than twice, he will usually slow down.If the person does not slow down, begin speaking your own language!  A sentence or two of another language spoken quickly will remind the person that he is fortunate because he doesnt need to speak a different language to communicate. Used carefully, this exercise in humbling the other speaker can be very effective. Just be su re to use it with colleagues and not with a boss! More Telephone English Telephone English: Dialogue and Appropriate VocabularyTelephone English: Leaving a Message on an Answering MachinePractical Exercises: Exercises to Improve Your Telephoning SkillsRole Plays: Role Play Dialogue Cues to Practice Telephoning with FriendsBusiness Telephone ConversationsTeaching Telephone English: Lesson Plan

The Sarcophagus of Pakal

The Sarcophagus of Pakal In 683 A.D., Pakal, the great King of Palenque who had ruled for almost seventy years, died. Pakals time had been one of great prosperity for his people, who honored him by entombing his body inside the Temple of the Inscriptions, a pyramid that Pakal himself had ordered built specifically to serve as his tomb. Pakal was buried in jade finery including a beautiful death mask, and placed over Pakals tomb was a massive sarcophagus stone, laboriously carved with an image of Pakal himself being reborn as a god. Pakals sarcophagus and its stone top are among the great all-time finds of archaeology. Discovery of Pakals Tomb The Maya city of Palenque had risen to greatness in the seventh century A.D. only to mysteriously go into decline. By 900 A.D. or so the once-mighty city was largely abandoned and the local vegetation began to reclaim the ruins.   In 1949, Mexican archaeologist Alberto Ruz Lhuillier began an investigation at the ruined Maya city, specifically at the Temple of the Inscriptions, one of the more imposing structures in the city. He found a stairway leading deep into the temple and followed it, carefully breaking down walls and removing rocks and debris as he did so. By 1952 he had reached the end of the passageway and found a magnificent tomb, which had been sealed off for more than a thousand years. There are many treasures and important works of art in Pakals tomb, but perhaps the most striking was the massive carved stone which covered Pakals body. The Great Sarcophagus Lid of Pakal Pakals sarcophagus lid is made of single stone. It is rectangular in shape, measuring between 245 and 290 millimeters (roughly 9-11.5 inches) thick in different places. It is 2.2 meters wide by 3.6 meters long (about 7 feet by 12 feet). The massive stone weighs seven tons. There are carvings on the top and sides. The massive stone would never have fit down the stairways from the top of the Temple of the Inscriptions; Pakals tomb was sealed first and then the temple was built around it. When Ruz Lhuillier discovered the tomb, he and his men painstakingly lifted it with four jacks, raising it a little bit at a time while putting small pieces of wood in the gaps to hold it in place. The tomb remained open until late 2010 when the massive lid was painstakingly lowered once again, covering Pakals remains, which had been returned to his tomb in 2009. The carved edges of the sarcophagus lid narrate events from the life of Pakal and those of his royal forebears. The southern side records the date of his birth and the date of his death. The other sides mention several other lords of Palenque and the dates of their deaths. The northern side shows Pakals parents, along with the dates of their deaths. The Sides of the Sarcophagus On the sides and ends of the sarcophagus itself, there are eight fascinating carvings of Pakals ancestors being reborn as trees: this shows that the spirits of departed ancestors continue to nourish their descendants. The depictions of Pakals ancestors and former rulers of Palenque include: Two images of Pakals father, Kan Mo Hix, being reborn as a nance tree.Two images of Pakals mother, Sak Kuk, being reborn as a cacao tree.Pakals great-grandmother, Yohl Iknal, is shown twice, reborn as a zapote tree and an avocado tree.Janahb Pakal I, Pakals grandfather, reborn as a guava treeKan Bahlam I (ruler of Palenque 572-583), reborn as a zapote tree.Kan Joy Chitam I (ruler of Palenque ca. 529-565 A.D.), reborn as an avocado tree.Ahkal Mo Nahb I (ruler of Palenque ca. 501-524 A.D.), reborn as a guava tree. The Top of the Sarcophagus Lid The magnificent artistic carving on the top of the sarcophagus lid is one of the masterpieces of Maya art. It depicts Pakal being reborn. Pakal is on his back, wearing his jewels, headdress, and skirt. Pakal is shown in the center of the cosmos, being reborn into eternal life. He has become one with the god Unen-Kawill, who was associated with maize, fertility, and abundance. He is emerging from a maize seed held by the so-called Earth Monster whose enormous teeth are clearly shown. Pakal is emerging along with the cosmic tree, visible behind him. The tree will carry him to the sky, where the god Itzamnaaj, the Sky Dragon, is awaiting him in the form of a bird and two serpent heads on either side. Importance of Pakals Sarcophagus Pakals Sarcophagus lid is a priceless piece of Maya art and one of the most important archaeological finds of all time. The glyphs on the lid have helped mayanist scholars pinpoint dates, events and familial relationships over a thousand years old. The central image of Pakal being reborn as a god is one of the classic icons of Maya art and has been crucial to understanding how the ancient Maya viewed death and rebirth. It should be noted that other interpretations of Pakals headstone exist. The most notable one, perhaps, is the notion that when viewed from the side (with Pakal roughly upright and facing to the left) it can appear as if he is operating the machinery of some sort. This has led to the Maya Astronaut theory which states that the figure is not necessarily Pakal, but rather a Maya astronaut piloting a spaceship. As entertaining as this theory may be, it has been thoroughly debunked by those historians who have deigned to justify it with any consideration in the first place.   Sources Bernal Romero, Guillermo. Kinich Jahahb Pakal (Resplandente Escudo Ave-Janahb) (603-683 d.C) Arqueologà ­a Mexicana XIX-110 (July-August 2011) 40-45. Guenter, Stanley. The Tomb of K’inich Janaab Pakal: The Temple of the Inscriptions at Palenque Lapida de Pakal, Palenque, Chiapas. Arqueologia Mexicana Edicion Especial 44 (June 2012), 72. Matos Moctezuma, Eduardo. Grandes Hallazgos de la Arqueologà ­a: De la Muerte a la Inmortalidad. Mexico: Tiempo de Memoria Tus Quets, 2013. Schele, Linda, and David Freidel. A Forest of Kings: The Untold Story of the Ancient Maya. New York: William Morrow and Company, 1990.

Practices as a social worker on values, beliefs and experiences Personal Statement

Practices as a social worker on values, beliefs and experiences - Personal Statement Example In this context, though there are scientific interventions like value education, the perception of these interventions would again depend on the experience through which a person has come through. Walters (2010) , in his article on ‘An Introduction to Use of Self in Field Placement’ has cited the case of a social work student who was able to produce remarkably superior quality field reports. The reason that the author cites for this is that the poorer socioeconomic situation of the student which helped him to draw experiences from himself and apply himself while preparing the reports. Further, Dewane (2006) has emphasised on the need for integrating knowledge, values and skills with life experiences for being an effective social worker. Thus personal experience of a social worker will add genuineness and authenticity to social work practice. A social worker will be able to connect oneself more to the social issue with added personal experience. In general, experiences will influence ones world view. However, a social worker must be able to analyse a social issue from different perspectives. It must also be ensured that personal experiences do not lead to views wh ich are

Enforcement of entertainment laws Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Enforcement of entertainment laws - Essay Example Compensation Agents earn a compensation for their services at between 5% and 15% of the artist gross earnings from bookings, engagement, or employment secured by the agent. The commission given to the agent may vary depending on the type of work, length of time, popularity of the artist, and state laws. Some state laws stipulate that agents and talent agencies must obtain licences before obtaining commissions, and may be charge a particular maximum amount. Before agents represent an artist, they have to sign contracts (Ronald, 2008). According to Harrison, (2007), attorneys usually assist the artists in handling any contractual negotiations on their behalf, to be certain that the terms of an agreement such as fees and duration are favourable to the artist. Talent agents can sometimes act as managers with no licence and experience, and may negotiate contracts such as recording, publishing, or merchandising contracts for the artist, is like practising law without a licence which can je opardize the artist’s career. Contracts in the music entertainment industry can involve extremely complex legal issues such as a variety of rights, and usually have long term effects on the artist’s career. Conflict of interest may arise where an agent is being paid commission on the artist’s contract. This may make the agents focus on the advance money, at the expense of what they may assume as many details concerning the artist’s royalty calculations, publishing, creative control, production, merchandising, and other long term career issues of the artist. 2.3 Enforcement of entertainment laws State laws, such as California and New York require talent agents to obtain a licence as a form of the artist... This "Music Industry Management (Entertainment Law: Portfolio)" essay outlines the main components of entertainment law. The participation of lawyers in the media has made the media law develop much faster thereby leading to the development of entertainm ent law. Entertainment law refers to a combination of various traditional laws that focus on the provision of legal services to the players in the entertainment industry. The entertainment law combines various slaws such as company law, contract law, and sales of goods law. It is also noteworthy that, artist just setting in business, or fully established in the entertainment industry should consider having an entertainment lawyer in addition to having proper knowledge of their rights as an artist. The entertainment law firms all have different practices as most of the entertainment lawyers have varying areas of specialisation. It is therefore the onus of the artist to identify their needs be it litigation need (litigation attorneys) and or transactional needs (for the transactional attorneys). While the litigation attorney only specialise in defensive and offensive legal action, the transactional attorney s are responsible for facilitating entertainment deals, negotiations, strategi c initiatives as wells as other contractual issues. It is also advisable for artist to running contracts with entertainment law firms in order to enjoy complete legal coverage and legal representation. This should happen before and after legal issues arise because one entertainment lawyer may not provide the perfect coverage.

The Olfactory Process and its Effect on Human Behavior :: Biology Essays Research Papers

The Olfactory Process and its Effect on Human Behavior Early childhood memories can be evoked by many triggers, of which one of the most powerful is a particular smell. A couple of years ago, I was unpacking boxes of Christmas decorations from the attic. One of the boxes contained old, partially melted candles that were to be put on the fireplace mantle and lit on Christmas Eve. Unrolling each uniquely fragrant candle from the yellowed newspaper, I suddenly had a vivid recollection of a childhood experience. I was between the ages of two and three, wandering through a candle store with my parents in the Greek section of Detroit, Michigan. I gazed wide-eyed at the seemingly endless shelves of wax figurines, reaching through the restraining arms of my father in attempts to feel their smooth contours. After slowly returning to reality, I realized that the smell of the candles being used to decorate for the holidays triggered my earliest memory of childhood. I thought about the memory frequently after that, and longed to return to the store to see if my physical presence there would evoke other memories. When I visited Detroit a few months ago, I was disappointed to discover that the store had long been out of business and only my new memory would remain. I found it somewhat disturbing that my earliest memory was of an insignificant retail store that would have no bearing on my adult life. Why did I not remember a more significant event, such as an early Christmas, or my second birthday? The answer is that the sense of smell, that is, olfaction, has a powerful command over many behaviors, including memory. Intrigued with this connection as an example of sensory input influencing behavior, it is my goal to examine the neurobiology of the olfaction process in humans and to investigate the ways in which odors elicit particular behaviors. For humans, olfaction is a primitive sense, whereas other mammals, birds and insects rely predominately on their sense of smell for survival. The approach of a charging bear would be recognized by a human within seconds of its attack, while a dog would have certainly caught his scent long before the human companion had any knowledge of the bear's presence. Although smell seems far less meaningful to humans, there is an important link between olfaction and behavior. For example, in my memory described above, the simple visual cues provided by the sight of any ordinary candle does not evoke my memory of the sweet smelling store.

Outward and inward investment in Mexico and Brazil Essay

This paper compares Brazil and Mexico regarding outward and inward investment, labor costs in both countries and public policies; it also discusses dunning theory in regard to Brazil and Mexico, the comparison between the two countries in terms of investments in which case Brazil is viewed in outward investment while Mexico is viewed in terms of inward investment. The paper also highlights about North America free trade agreement and its relation and effects to both Brazil and Mexico. The J curve: A reduction in the value of a currency as compared to different monetary units varying from one country to the other is what is referred to devaluation. In relation to a country’s trade balance and in which case there is a devaluation this is what is referred to as the J curve. A country’s exchange rate may be lower therefore meaning that exports are much cheaper than the imports. If imports are more expensive it means that the local consumers will find it very hard to buy the imported goods due to their costly prices. Also when the exports are cheaper it means that the foreign consumers will enjoy the affordability of the prices and they will buy more of the exported products and services. In the case of a lower exchange rate it means that the prices of exports are very much lower than those of the imports. Exports sell fore very little foreign currency and hence the foreign consumers buy more due to the low prices. This means that the consumption of the exported goods is higher and hence there is an increase in the exports due to their affordability and also their competitive prices. On the contrary the local consumers cannot afford the imported products since their prices are costlier. It also means that the consumption of imported products by the domestic users will go down due to their being unaffordable though eventually the trade balance may get back to what it was initially. The only reason that may ensure that the imports and exports volumes remain as they were before e is the contracts in a case where there had been an agreement to supply certain products and at a certain price. It means that the both volume and also the reduction in the value of the currency will remain at the same level. However devaluation causes the increase in prices of the imported products, therefore increasing the overall expenses of the imports. It makes the total amount used in imports to increase. For a long period of time devaluation can ensure that the local consumer prefers to buy local products since they are more affordable to them thus keeping away from the imported goods which are much more expensive. Also the demand for exported goods and services goes up. Since the foreign consumers find them more affordable and they find their prices very competitive. Foreign consumers may continue buying the imported goods and keep away from their domestic products since the imported products and services are much cheaper and more affordable to them than their own domestically available products and services. Outward and inward Investment Brazil is an outward investor. Its outward investment has increased over the years although t has also been fluctuating. Brazil practiced foreign direct investment widely, even though it kept fluctuating and sometimes rising sharply. Brazil’s outward investment is directed towards other countries. There has also been a reduction in infrastructure investment, but due to its outward investment it has not affected its company’s labor force. Brazil’s service industries do not require very large investments of capital and still it has managed to provide remarkable services to its foreign clients. It also considers outward investments for financial gains more than anything else. This means that great emphasis is laid on financial transactions other than gains in other services. A large share of Brazils output is through exports. The biggest challenge they face in investing outwardly is inadequate information about markets as well as regulations and rules in those countries where they consider investing. They also face competition from products form other countries and international markets as well as imported products available in their market. In this case they are required to establish key markets of their interests and also create an asset base in order to increase potential for outward foreign direct investment. On the other hand Mexico is open to inward investment. A fall in foreign direct investment prompted Mexico to attract very little international and foreign investments. Domestic investment has also gone down; most of its foreign investment is in ventures held jointly with Mexican firms. Mexico is not as wealthy as Brazil due to its poorly performing public sector but it has been seen to multiply its growth in income. It also has a very authoritative system which was expected to produce high quality public policies with very positive effects. Its policy stability is enhanced by political continuity. Public policies Both Brazil and Mexico are said to be the most attractive in Latin America for foreign investment although Brazil is expected to replace Mexico thus becoming the most attractive while Mexico will fall in the second place. Brazil would like to solidify its position as an emerging country. All rounded in policy making. The country would like to come up with a strategy of development and high level of growth. They have put in place strategies of innovation. Enhanced by agricultural and other fields experts. However thy have faced challenges in trying to implement their innovations. Although their funding for the innovations as well as better legislation has enhanced an improvement achieving the innovations. Major challenges include the lack of clear government guidelines, poor coordination of innovation policies by the government. In Brazil domestic policies are not connected to its international agenda. It’s trying very hard to be domestically innovative which is not the case internationally. Labor costs In Brazil an equivalent job, warrants equal pay. Purchasing power parities determine that equal pay occurs when there is an equal purchasing power. This means that the price levels in different countries are eliminated by the currency conversion. In the year 2003 Mexico and Brazil manufacturing workers earned an hourly wage of $2. 48 and $2. 67 respectively. The cost of living in Mexico is much higher than that of Brazil. Mexico is however considered a middle income country. The North America Free Trade Agreement: The North America free trade agreement is not likely to improve the standards of living and employment in Mexico. Infact it is anticipated to hurt the rural employment in Mexico and prompting worker to migrate to the cities as well as to the united states of America. This is due to the fact that the North America free trade agreement focuses on profits other than wages. However its main focus is investments from the United States of America to Mexico. The investment in manufacturing will not address the issue of unemployment in Mexico since the main focus is not on the employees wages but on profits from the investments. This will cause and increase unemployment due to a reduction in the wages. Conclusion: From the above discussion Brazil is an outward investor. Meaning it participates in direct foreign investment. Its investment is directed to other countries, while Mexico is more open to inward investment, this refers to domestic investments and having shares in both retail and wholesale trade. Most of Mexico’s foreign investment is practiced as joint ventures with other Mexican firms. The cost of living in Mexico is much higher than in Brazil where as the labor costs in Mexico are much lower than those of Brazil. Brazil is the most attractive in foreign investment while Mexico is considered to be a middle income country. The North America free trade agreement favors Brazil since it is more economically liberated than Mexico. Since Mexico is not a rich country, though, it is an upwardly developing income country. Its political system is stable and can manage to come up with agreements to solve its social problems. The reason behind Mexico not being very wealthy or why it is not as economically stable as Brazil, is due to it’s under performing public sector. The political system is authoritarian and is favorable for a good economic growth. It has the approval of North America free trade agreement and has no trade barriers. On the other hand Brazil is seen as an emerging country. More developed than Mexico in terms of strategy of development and innovation. Brazil is all rounded in laying down strategies of development and modes of innovation and it has also been seen to implement its innovations and also it is supported by its government is implementing its innovation strategies. The challenges faced by Mexico is the lack of clear guidelines from its government on development and also a public sector which does not perform very well as well as having experienced a very slow economic growth. As for Brazil the major challenge is lack of information or inadequate information about markets and also the rules and regulations of the foreign countries where they intend to do foreign investment which has to be followed. Another major challenge is the competition faced from other products from other countries and also from the international markets. References: George Grayson (1993) The North American Free Trade Agreement, Foreign Policy Association press,U. S Global alliance (2007) brazil wage gap, retrieved on 11th november, 2008, available at http://74. 125. 113. 104/search? q=cache:UBYFdiNhlXYJ:www. jussemper. org/Resources/Labour%2520Resources/WGC/Resources/WagegapsBra2005. pdf+wage+rate+mexico+and+brazil&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=ke John Sloan (1994) Public Policy in Latin America: A Comparative Survey, University of Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh Robert Gwynne (2005) industrialization and urbanization in Latin America, Routledge press, London Paul Krugman and Maurice Obstfeld (1997) International Economics: Theory and Policy, Addison Wesley publishers, New York. Peter Dickens (1992) Global Shift: The Internationalization of Economic Activity, McGraw Hill publishers, New York.

10 Facts About the Geography of Reykjavik, Iceland

Reykjavik is the capital city of Iceland. It is also the largest city in that country and with its latitude of 64Ëš08N, it is the worlds northernmost capital city for an independent nation. Reykjavik has a population of 120,165 people (2008 estimate) and its metropolitan area or the Greater Reykjavik area has a population of 201,847 people. It is the only metropolitan area in Iceland. Reykjavik is known as being Icelands commercial, governmental and cultural center. It is also known as being the worlds Greenest City for its use of hydro and geothermal power. What to Know About Iceland The following is a list of ten more facts to know about Reykjavik, Iceland: 1) Reykjavik is believed to have been the first permanent settlement in Iceland. It was established in 870 C.E. by Ingà ³lfr Arnarson. The original name of the settlement was Reykjarvik which loosely translated to the Bay of Smokes due to the regions hot springs. The additional r in the citys name was gone by 1300. 2) In the 19th century Icelanders began to push for independence from Denmark and because Reykjavik was the regions only city, it became the center of these ideas. In 1874 Iceland was given its first constitution, which gave it some legislative power. In 1904, executive power was given to Iceland and Reykjavik became the location of the minister for Iceland. 3) During the 1920s and 1930s, Reykjavik became the center of Icelands fishing industry, especially that of salt-cod. During World War II, the allies occupied the city, despite the German occupation of Denmark in April 1940. Throughout the war, both American and British soldiers built bases in Reykjavik. In 1944 the Republic of Iceland was founded and Reykjavik was named as its capital. 4) Following WWII and Icelands independence, Reykjavik began to grow considerably. People began to move to the city from Icelands rural areas as jobs increased in the city and agriculture became less important to the country. Today, finance and information technology are important sectors of Reykjaviks employment. 5) Reykjavik is the economic center of Iceland and Borgartà ºn is the financial center of the city. There are over 20 major companies in the city and there are three international firms with headquarters there. As a result of its economic growth, Reykjaviks construction sector is also growing. 6) Reykjavik is considered a multicultural city and in 2009, foreign-born peoples made up 8% of the citys population. The most common groups of ethnic minorities are Poles, Filipinos, and Danes. 7) The city of Reykjavik is located in southwest Iceland at only two degrees south of the Arctic Circle. As a result, the city gets only four hours of sunlight on its shortest day in the winter and during the summer it receives almost 24 hours of daylight. 8) Reykjavik is located on Icelands coast so the citys topography consists of peninsulas and coves. It also has some islands that were once connected to the mainland during the last ice age about 10,000 years ago. The city is spread out over a large distance with an area of 106 square miles (274 sq km) and as a result, it has a low population density. 9) Reykjavik, like most of Iceland, is geologically active and earthquakes are not uncommon in the city. In addition, there is volcanic activity nearby as well as hot springs. The city is also powered by hydro and geothermal energy. 10) Although Reykjavik is located near the Arctic Circle it has a much milder climate than other cities at the same latitude due to its coastal location and the nearby presence of the Gulf Stream. Summers in Reykjavik are cool while winters are cold. The average January low temperature is 26.6ËšF (-3ËšC) while the average July high temperature is 56ËšF (13ËšC) and it receives about 31.5 inches (798 mm) of precipitation per year. Because of its coastal location, Reykjavik is also usually very windy year round. Sources:Wikipedia.com. Reykjavik - Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reykjav%C3%ADk