With a population of 1.4 billion, the People’s Republic of China is vitally important to the planet. China’s rapid growth impacts the environment locally and globally. In a world affected by globalization, China embodies the phenomenon in both positive and negative ways. China’s modern society provides a better life for many but also brings with it a loss of cultural tradition and natural resources.
To uncover some of the mysteries of China, Charles Annenberg Weingarten and the Explore team set out on a three-week fact-finding mission through Beijing, Shanghai, Tibet, Wolong, Xi’an and beyond. Each stop brings them closer to grasping the complexities of the country’s ancient culture and the implications of modernization. Meeting with some of the most innovative minds and leading non-profit organizations across the country, the Explore team delves into issues such as the environment, human rights, public health, social change, philosophy and education. (Excerpt from linktv.org)
Episode 1 of James Burke's most well-known series "Connections" which explores the surprising and unexpected ways that our modern technological world came into existence. Each episode investigates the background of usually one particular modern invention and how it came into being. These explorations are an attempt to locate the "connections" between various historical figures who seemingly had nothing to do with each other in their own times, however once connected, these same figures combined to produce some of the most profound impacts on our modern day world; in a "1+1=3" type of way.
It is this type of investigation that is the main idea behind the Knowledge Web project; whereby sophisticated software is used to attempt to discover these subtle connections automatically. See http://k-web.org.
For years consumers have struggled to fit the large round fruit in their refrigerators. And then there was the problem of trying to cut the fruit when it kept rolling around. But 20 years ago a forward-thinking farmer on Japan's south-western island of Shikoku solved the problem. The farmer, from Zentsuji, in Kagawa prefecture, came up with the idea of making a cube-shaped watermelon which could easily be packed and stored. To make it happen, farmers grew the melons in glass boxes and the fruit then naturally assumed the same shape. Today the cuboid watermelons are hand-picked and shipped all over Japan. But the fruit, on sale in a selection of department stores and upmarket supermarkets, appeals mainly to the wealthy and fashion-conscious of Tokyo and Osaka, Japan's two major cities. Each melon sells for 10,000 yen, equivalent to about $83. It is almost double, or even triple than of a normal watermelon.
The pomegranate is native from Iran to the Himalayas in northern India and was cultivated and naturalized over the whole Mediterranean region since ancient times. The LA Times recently labelled pomegranate as ‘one of the most trendiest and versatile fruit on the market', and it could be good for you (another fruit sold for its ‘medical values'). Packed with antioxidants, pomegranate juice is now on the red carpet, and even the stars at the Oscars drink the dark red liquid. (Link)
Dragon fruit
A pitaya is the fruit of several cactus species, most importantly of the genus Hylocereus (sweet pitayas). These fruit are commonly known as dragon fruit. The fruit can weigh from 150 to 600 grams. To prepare a pitaya for consumption, the fruit is cut open to expose the flesh. The fruit's texture is sometimes likened to that of the kiwifruit due to the presence of black crunchy seeds. The flesh, which is eaten raw, is mildly sweet and low in calories; dragon fruit should not be used to accompany strong-tasting food – except to "clean the palate" between dishes. The seeds are eaten together with the flesh, but they are indigestible unless chewed. The fruit is also converted into juice or wine, or used to flavour other beverages. The flowers can be eaten or steeped as tea. (Link) Kiwano
The horned melon (Cucumis metuliferus), also called African horned cucumber or kiwano, is an annual vine in the cucumber and melon family. Often known by its nickname in the southeastern United States - blowfish fruit - it is grown for its fruit, which looks like an oval melon with horn-like spines. The fruit of this plant is edible, but it is used as often for decoration as for food. When ripe, it has a yellow-orange skin and a lime green jelly-like flesh. The horned melon is native to Africa, and it is now grown in California, Chile, Australia and New Zealand as well. (Link | Photo 1 | Photo 2)
Star Fruit
The star fruit or carambola is a tropical fruit that is gaining popularity in the United States. This fruit acquired its name from the five pointed star shape when cut across the middle of the fruit. It has a waxy, golden yellow to green color skin with a complicated flavor combination that includes plums, pineapples, and lemons.
This is the strangest looking fruit ever. Rambutan in Malay, Indonesian, and Filipino literally means hairy, caused by the 'hair' that covers this fruit. On the outside it's magenta with green hairy legs all over it. From the outside you'd have no idea what to expect on the inside. Inside it's similar to a lychee fruit. It looks sort of clear and gummy. It's very watery and has a huge seed in the center. It tastes pretty decent, but it's the look of the ramputan that puts it in the top ten. (Link | Photo)
Ackee
Ackee is Jamaica's national fruit. The fruit was imported to Jamaica from West Africa (probably on a slave ship) before 1778. Since then it has become a major feature of various Caribbean cuisines, and is also cultivated in tropical and subtropical areas elsewhere around the world. The fruit of the ackee is not edible in its entirety. Only the inner, fleshy yellow arils are consumed. It is extremely poisonous in the very center if you eat the red bits. (Link 1 | Link 2) Magosteen
Called ‘mangkut', these are the ‘queen of Thai fruits' with their elegant, segmented white–flesh inside a thick large purple peel. They grow in the South and the season lasts just a few months of the year, mainly from May to September. If you are here in Thailand at that time be sure to enjoy this delicious and luxurious sweet fruit. (Link) Buddha's Hand
Ever heard of a Fingered Citron? How about a Buddha's Hand? It's a weird -looking citrus that has green or rich yellow tapering fingers or segments attached to a base – the appearance is not unlike a curled, arthritic hand, only there are usually many more than 5 fingers! But what on earth do you do with a Buddha's Hand? Do you eat it? Well, yes, and no. Its thick, lemony rind and pith (the white part) is often candied into a delicious citrus delicacy, infused with spirits or made into liqueurs. However, the small amount of inside flesh is quite sour and rarely used in food. The Buddha's Hand and other members of the Citron family are also prized for their aromatic citrus oils and used in perfumes and sometimes kept in homes as a natural air deodorizer. (Link) Urucu
You can count on finding the Urucu plant (Bixa orellana) around every rural household in the Amazon. Achiote (Bixa orellana) is a shrub or small tree from the tropical region of the Americas. It is cultivated there and in Southeast Asia, where it was introduced by the Spanish in the 17th century. It is best known as the source of the natural pigment annatto, produced from the fruit. (Link 1 | Link 2 | Photo)
QUESTION: Johan from the Netherlands asks about the difference between “house” and “home.”
ANSWER: The terms “house” and “home” are often used to mean the same thing: the place where you live. In many situations, these two words can be used interchangeably (one for the other). In the following sentences, the speaker is referring to the building or rooms where he/she lives: - “Come home/to my housewith me this afternoon and I’ll help you with your homework.” - “The houses/homes on this street were all built in 1952.” - “I left my glassesat home/my house and can’t see well enough to drive.”
However, these two terms can also have slightly different meanings. You would only use house to refer to a stand-alone (not attached to something else) building where you live. An apartment (a room/set of rooms in a building you rent), condominium/condo (like an apartment, but you can own your own unit), townhouse (like a house, but shares a wall with the house next to it, usually with a smaller yard than a house or no yard) are not usually called “houses.” On the other hand, you can use “home” to refer to any space where you live and sleep, including a house, apartment, condo, townhouse, etc. A good way to think about it is that “home” is the more general term and “house” is one type of “home.”
Keep in mind, however, that when people hear the word “home,” they often think of something else, something more than just a building or a room. We often associate (connect) “home” with a feeling of belonging and with a place where we feel comfortable. That’s why there are expressions like these: “Home is where the heart is,” meaning anywhere can be a home as long as the people you love and care about are there; “home sweet home,” which is something people say when they return to their home and are very glad to be there; and “a place to call home,” which is a place where a person feels he or she belongs. There is even an old song called “A House is Not a Home,” meaning that a building or room cannot make you feel like you belong there or that your house is not necessarily where you can find the people you love.
In his question, Johan also asked why “home” — if it has this meaning of being the comfortable place where people feel they belong — is also used in expressions like “homes for sale”? There are two possible reasons. “Homes for sale” is a common expression real estate agents (professionals selling homes, buildings, and land) use. One reason they use “homes” instead of “house” is that what they’re selling may actually not be a stand-alone or single-family (intended for one family) house, but a condo or a townhouse. A second reason may be that the real estate agent wants you to think about the property they’re selling you as a home, a place that is comfortable and a place where you belong, not merely (only) a building or a set of rooms.
So, a “house” can be a “home” and a “home” can be a “house,” depending on what you really mean.
Thanks to Johan for the question and I hope this helps. I also hope that you all have a place where you can call home.
The Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is certainly not the fastest way to travel from San Diego to San Francisco, but it is, without a doubt (certainly), the most scenic (with beautiful scenery, or views)! The PCH – California Highway 1 – is a narrow (small, not wide), two-lane highway that hugs (stays very close to) the coast (where the ocean touches the land) as it carries travelers 485 miles (780 km) from near San Diego, in southern California, almost all the way to San Francisco.
PCH is interrupted (stops for a short distance) occasionally as it winds (doesn’t travel in a straight line) its way up the coast. For the most part (usually), it treats (gives) patient (not in a hurry) travelers to beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean. It begins along the warm, sandy beaches of southern California and travels to Big Sur. There large waves crash (make a loud noise) on the rocks far below as the road hangs precariously (dangerously) from the cliffs (edge of mountain that goes straight down) near Ragged Point and crosses deep gorges (narrow valley with vertical sides) on bridges like the Bixby Creek Bridge.
In southern California, the views of the Pacific are punctuated (interrupted) by cities, like San Diego, Los Angeles, and Santa Barbara. As the PCH continues north, the cities and towns grow smaller. The view (what you see) is filled first with gentle hills and vineyards (where grapes grow) and, later, with rugged (rocky, rough) mountains and forests (place with many trees).
The PCH also carries the traveler through significant (important) moments (times) in California history. The California Missions Trail follows Highway 101, which runs parallel to (goes the same direction), and occasionally joins (comes together with) the PCH. Between 1769 and 1823, the Franciscans (followers of St. Francis of Assisi) established 21 Roman Catholic Missions (churches) beginning near San Diego and extending (continuing) all the way to Sonoma, north of San Francisco. Most of the missions have been preserved (saved; protected) and some, like Mission San Juan Capistrano, between San Diego and Los Angeles, give tourists a very real taste (experience) of what life was like in California more than 200 years ago.
The New York Times this week ran (published) a story about online bullies. A bully, as we discussed in ESL Podcast 372, is a person who uses either verbal (spoken) or physical violence to prove his or her own strength, power, or position over another person. The term is usually associated with (connected to) schools, where some students (usually, but not always, boys) try to intimidate (scare; make fearful) other students into doing what they want.
The newest form of bullying (note that “bully” can be a noun or a verb) is online or cyber-bullying, where students use the Internet or phone text messages to scare or intimidate other students. This usually happens when the students are at home, not in school, but some parents think that the schools should discipline (punish) online bullies even if they do their bullying outside of school. This has always been a difficult area for schools: Should they punish students who misbehave (act badly) when they are not in school, or only when they misbehave in school? There is no easy answer to this question, and every school in the U.S. deals with (handles; takes care of) the problem differently.
To pull (someone)into(something) means to involve someone in an action or situation when that person doesn’t really want to be involved. A fray is an argument, fight, or contest. So the headline means that students who are harassing (bullying) other students using the Internet or texting are forcing schools to get involved in an area where many of them don’t want to be involved — punishing students for bulling outside of school.
For some possibly tragic (very sad) consequences (results) of bullying, see our English Cafe 242.
Should schools discipline students who misbehave outside of school hours? How do schools in your country handle this problem?
QUESTION Carles from Catalonia wants to know the difference between the words “merry” and “happy,” and why we use each of these for phrases like “Happy Birthday” and “Merry Christmas.”
ANSWER Both “merry” and “happy” are used in expressions to wish other people a good holiday or celebration. When we use it in this context (situation), both “merry” and “happy” mean the same thing. However, these two words actually have slightly different meanings.
“Happy” means feeling or showing pleasure and contentment (being satisfied with one’s life or one’s situation). If you get a promotion (better, higher-level job) at work, you may feel happy. If you wake up to a beautiful day with good weather, you may feel happy. If you hear Jeff singing, you might also feel happy.
“Merry” means cheerful and lively (active; full of energy). While happy is used all the time these days, merry is considered an old-fashioned word that is most often found in older literature (books and other writings). If you read Charles Dickens or Louisa May Alcott, for example, you may come across sentences like these: - “The streets were full of merry people celebrating the new year.” - “Everyone at the party had a merry time.”
These days, the only time you’ll see or hear “merry” is in the phrase “Merry Christmas.” For most other holidays and celebrations, we use “happy,” such as in: “Happy New Year,” “Happy Halloween,” and “Happy Thanksgiving.”
Thanks, Carles, for the question, and I hope that those of you in the U.S. had a happy Fourth of July this past Sunday.
Men and women have different ways of communicating, right? This may be especially true when it comes to dating. Sometimes men say one thing, and women hear another, and vice versa (true the other way around). That may be because men speak their own language, something called “Guy Speak.”
We use “guy,” the singular form, to refer to a man or a boy. However, we also often use “guys,” the plural form, to refer to a group of mixed men/women or boys/girls. It’s common for people to say to a mixed group: “Hey guys, look at this!” or “Come over here, guys.”
Technically, “gal” is the female equivalent (same in meaning) of “guy,” but “gal” now sounds old-fashioned and you don’t hear it often in daily conversation. Instead, you will hear people use “girls” to refer to a group of girls or women. Sometimes women don’t like to be called “girls” because while “guys” can be a male of any age, “girls” are usually females under 18. It can sound a little condescending (showing that one is superior–having higher position or status–than the person you are talking to). To be safe, and more polite, you can use “ladies” for women.
Now, let’s see how well you understanding “Guy Speak.” Here are a few common things guys say translated into what they really mean, according to a recent article in Cosmopolitan magazine.
Guy Speak: “You’re such a great friend.” Translation: “I don’t ever want to date you or have you for my girlfriend.”
Guy Speak: “We should hang out (spend time together casually) sometime.” Translation: “I’m afraid you’ll say ‘no’ if I ask you for a real date.”
Guy Speak: “Should we split the check (each pay our part of the bill)? Translation: “I’m not into you (I’m not attracted to you.).”
Guy Speak: “I don’t play games*.” Translation: “I am a master (have very high level of skill) at playing games, but I don’t want you to play them.”
Guy Speak: “I’m still getting over (recovering from) a breakup (end of a romantic relationship).” Translation: “I plan to date many, many women.”
Guy Speak: “I’ll call you later.” Translation: “I may or may not call you sometime between now and three months from now.”
These are some examples of “Guy Speak” in the U.S. If you’re a woman, how well do you understand “Guy Speak”? If you’re a guy, especially if you’re living in the U.S., do you think the translations are accurate (correct)? What are some examples of “Guy Speak” in other languages? What are some things women say–perhaps in “Girl Speak”–that needs translation?
* We talk about people playing “mind games,” which are emotional or psychological games to confuse or to get the upper hand (have more power) in a relationship. Although we use if often when talking about relationships, we can also use it in other situations: “I’m not sure why the boss isn’t giving us any information about whether anyone will lose their jobs this month. Maybe she’s playing mind games with us.”
Prince Mahidol of Siam (Thailand) lived in one of the apartments 63 Longwood Avenue Brookline, from 1926 to 1928 with his wife and their young children: Princess Galyani Vadhana, Prince Anandha (who was to become King Rama VIII), and Prince Bhumibol Adulyadej (who was to become King Rama IX). Prince Bhumibol was born at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge on 5 December 1927, the first monarch to be born in the continental United States.
Candlelight Blues Music: HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej Lyrics: Assoc. Prof. Sodsai Pantoomkomol His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand was born in Cambridge (Massachusetts, USA), but he received his school education in Switzerland. There (still being a Prince) he received his first musical education. He started to play the clarinet when he was ten years old. Living in Europe in the forties of the Twentieth Century, when jazz was very popular everywhere, he also developed a liking for this music, and it should not be considered surprising that his first compositions were strongly influenced by jazz music. His first composition, the Candle Light Blues, is written completely according to the blues sequence of chords.
Wat Chaiwatthanaram is an imposing monastery located in the west of Ayutthaya on the Chao Phraya River. It was built by King Prasat Thong in 1630 and its architecture is similar to that of Angkor Wat in Cambodia and it may have been built to commemorate the King victory over Thailand neighbor. The temple comprises a main prang (or tower) which is 35 meters tall surrounded by a series of smaller prangs situated alongside a gallery containing over 100 Buddha images. The temple is spacious and its well-kept grounds are peaceful. Well worth a visit if history and culture are your interest.
Fee: Admission to the temple is 20 Baht and opening hours are 08:00 to 18:00.
How to go: You can reach the temples ruins by bicycle if you have hired one, and a Tuk-Tuk fare will be in the 30 Baht range from the town centre. Long-tail boat services are available from Chankasem Palace at around 350 Baht for the full one-hour round trip.
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal reported on a study about how Americans spend their time during the day. The results come from a representative sample (small number of people chosen randomly, but who represent the general population) of Americans age 15 or older. This means that there may be no single American who actually spends his or her time exactly this way each day, since it is just an average for the group. Still, it gives you a rough (approximate; general) idea about the relative (considered in relation to something else) importance of different activities for the “typical” person living in the United States.
Here are some of the categories, from most time to least:
Sleeping: 8 hours, 40 minutes
Working or work-related activities: 3 hours, 32 minutes
Personal care (such as showering, getting dressed, putting on make-up): 47 minutes
Buying things: 46 minutes
Education (could be professional reading, attending classes, listening to ESL Podcast): 28 minutes
Caring for household (people who live at your house) members (such as young children or babies): 32 minutes
Organizational, civic (community), and religious activities: 20 minutes
Caring for non-household members (such as elderly parents): 13 minutes
Telephone calls, mail, and email: 12 minutes
Some of these times are almost certainly averaged out across (dividing into the different parts of) the week. For example, if you spend 2 hours and 20 minutes volunteering for a religious organization or community group, that would average out to (result in a statistical “mean” or average amount of) 20 minutes a day, even if you did all of your volunteering on a single day of the weekend.
How do these times — or at least the relative importance of these activities — compare with your life? What do you think would be different for people living in your country (if you live outside the United States)? Personally, I know I spend less time sleeping (7 hours average), more time working (8 hours average), and a lot more time on email!
PHITSANULOK, 16 July 2010 (NNT) – The Phitsanulok Provincial Irrigation Office has asked local farmers to delay their rice cultivation until mid-August in order to prevent damages from drought.
Mr Bandit Inta, Director of the Phitsanulok Provincial Irrigation Office, disclosed that the water level at Sirikit Dam in the northern province of Uttaradit now stood at 3.2 billion cubic meters or 33% of the total capacity. About 353 million cubic meters of the water reserve or 5% is usable water.
At present, Mr Bandit indicated that the amount of water released to the public for consumptionand household use and for balancing the ecological systemstood at 9 million cubic meters per day.
The Director then asked farmers in Phitsanulok and nearby areas to postpone their rice cultivation until mid-August. He reasoned that water supplies for agricultural use would be released during the period while the late farming would help rice growers avoid damages from the ongoing dry conditions.
Created for young audiences and populated with warm, friendly characters, CRAWFORD´S CORNER shorts promote positive values while implementing simple lessons on personal, practical and social skills. With his very good friend Harriet, Crawford discovers the art of working together, choosing a game that everyone can play, saying please and thank you, and many other valuable social skills - all the while having fun!
The lost language of Ugaritic was last spoken 3,500 years ago. It survives on just a few tablets, and linguists could only translate it with years of hard work and plenty of luck. A computer deciphered it in hours.
The computer program relies on a few basic assumptions in order to make intuitive guesses about the language's structure. Most importantly, the lost language has to be closely related to a known, deciphered language, which in the case of Ugaritic is Hebrew. Second, the alphabets of the two languages need to share some consistent correlations between the individual letters or symbols. There should also be recognizable cognates of words between the two languages, and words that have prefixes or suffixes in one language (like verbs that end in "-ing" or "-ed" in English) should show the same features in the other language.
That might seem like a lot of information for the program to require, but even all that is no guarantee of decipherment. After Ugaritic was first discovered in 1929, it remained untranslatable for years. It finally revealed some of its secrets to German cryptographer Hans Bauer, who was only able to make substantial headway when he guessed the drawing of an ax was next to the Ugaritic word for "ax." Even this breakthrough wasn't a complete success, because although Bauer's guess was correct he matched the wrong sounds and letters together, resulting in a mistranslation.
So, the question for the computer program wasn't just how quickly it could translate Ugaritic compared to its human counterparts; there's also whether it could avoid the mistakes and pitfalls that had slowed down the initial decipherment. The program worked by looking for correlations and correspondences at the various levels of languages described above - individual sounds and letters, different segments of the word, and cognates between languages. It then mapped the similarities between Hebrew and Ugaritic, starting with the sounds and then bringing in the other aspects to figure out the most probable matches. By cross-referencing these different parts of language and repeating the process hundreds of thousands of times, the program arrives at a fully deciphered Ugaritic.
The results were stunning. Of the thirty letters in the Ugaritic alphabet, the computer correctly identified twenty-nine of them. Of the roughly third of all Ugaritic words that share Hebrew cognates, the program figured out sixty percent of them, and many of the errors were only off by a letter or two. These results are particularly encouraging because the program still doesn't use any contextual clues, meaning it can't differentiate between the different uses of a Ugaritic word that means both "daughter" and "house", something that is (thankfully) pretty easy to identify in context. The program also wasn't able to use the "ax" coincidence that had made the human decipherment of the language possible. Best of all, the program did all this in only a few hours.
Ugaritic itself is an awesomely fascinating language. Spoken 3,500 years ago in the city of Ugarit, located in modern Syria, the language is a Semitic relative of Hebrew, although its alphabet closely resembles the cuneiform used in ancient Sumeria. The surviving Ugaritic texts tell the stories of a Canaanite religion that is similar but not identical to that recorded in the Old Testament, providing Bible scholars a unique opportunity to examine how the Bible and ancient Israelite culture developed in relation to its neighbors.
Northern Germany is known as a hotbed for new ideas in the renewable energy sector. The University of Applied Sciences in Stralsund, whose Masters of Science Program in Renewable Energies attracts students from all over the world, like Kongrit Mansiri from the School of Renewable Energy Technology (SERT) at Naresuan University in the town of Phitsanulok, Thailand. For eight months now, the 27-year-old masters degree student has been pursuing his own solar power projects in search of solutions for energy needs back in Thailand.
Wind energy by photocase user kai
What attracted you to Stralsund?
I work as a researcher at Naresuan University while pursuing my masters degree in the Renewable Energy Sciences. My professor has connections to the University of Applied Sciences in Stralsund and they were looking for masters students in Thailand to join their Renewable Energies course, with financial support given through the German Academic Exchange Service. So, since I was already conducting research and was clearly ready for advanced studies with my experience, my professor said it would be a good opportunity for me to go.
Please describe the projects you are working on in Stralsund right now.
Right now I’m working on two projects in the solar energy sector, looking for possibilities to use small scale concentrated solar power plant technologies in Thailand. The first involves a so-called solar dish stirling engine system to generate electricity of up to 25 kilowatts. This is a very interesting project and they have quite a specialization in this field here at Stralsund. The second project is about solar organic rankine cycle power plants, which are supplied with heat from a parabolic trough concentrator. The desired outcome is the creation of more powerful small-scale solar power plants.
How is the research environment in Stralsund?
It’s a really great place to study in the energy sector. All the lessons in the Renewable Energies course are in English and there are about 15 international students in the course with me. Sometimes the German students join us for classes, for example in wind energies. Overall, Stralsund is not a big city and it’s really quiet for the most part, so you can concentrate really well on your studies. The laboratories are highly advanced and so is the level of the professors and courses offered here. Plus, the town is right on the Baltic Sea, which is really great and there are lots of applications for wind energies.
Is wind energy a big factor in Thailand?
Not so much. We don’t have that much potential for wind energy generation in Thailand, only in a small part of the country near the sea. In contrast, in Germany, there is great potential for this kind of energy generation, especially in the North.
So solar energy plays a bigger role in Thailand?
Exactly, we have a lot of potential for generating solar energy in Thailand; the weather is great. A great number of research projects at my faculty focus on solar energy applications like solar sails or solar thermal energy generation. Bio energies are also an important field in Thailand, since we grow a lot of rice, which can be turned into bio fuel. Then there is also biomass, where we can use the waste from many of the country’s numerous pig farms for energy generation, which is also a field with high potential.
How prominent is the use of these kinds of technologies for generating energy in daily life?
They’re really prominent in some areas, where hydropower or photovoltaic power generation are the only way to supply people with electricity. You see, some areas of Thailand don’t have electricity and it’s hard to connect them to the power grid, especially the really remote villages. So with photovoltaic energy it is possible to create a power system for these villages so they can generate enough electricity to supply them with lighting and other basic energy needs. These systems are fully self-sufficient and actually quite easy to install.
What were your expectations when coming to Germany?
Well, when I was studying and researching in Thailand I already knew that Germany really great technology in the renewable energies field, but I didn’t really know all the details. So I was curious to come here and see for myself. I’ve been able to greatly improve my knowledge, especially in terms of photovoltaic systems, but also in other fields such as hydrogen technologies. Overall, this is a really great opportunity for me.
Did you see any other towns beside Stralsund?
Yes, our group at school went on excursions to power plants in other towns and I’ve visited other cities like Greifswald and Berlin. I have also made lots of friends from countries like Poland and Norway, who have invited me to visit them. So I definitely plan on doing that before I head back home. Kongrit, thank you very much for the interview.
In the early to mid 1300s, English fought to be the language of the Christian Bible through the efforts of theologian John Wycliffe, who opposed the church's use of a Latin scripture because it prevented most of the population from reading the bible for themselves. Though Wycliffe died before English became the official language of the bible, Bragg discusses how his translation eventually led to the transition of various Latin words into the English language, including "emperor," "justice,""profession," "suddenly" or "angel."
Eventually, Henry V of England would use his power in order to create this English language bible in the early 1400s. However, the difficulty of creating a common language for all the English dialects in the United Kingdom had to be addressed since there was such an array of spellings and pronunciations. Bragg explains, "The '-ing' participle, as in 'running,' was said as '-and' in the North, '-end' in the East Midlands, and '-ind' in the West Midlands. So 'running' could also be said as 'runnand,' 'runnind,' and 'runnend.'" The number of spellings was even greater, Bragg offers sixteen different ways in which the word meaning "church" had been spelt at the time, including "kerke," "kirc," "chirche," "cherge" and "schyrche."
The Chancery had the duty of creating an official spelling for each spoken word, much of which is still used in modern English. Still, the spelling was confusing because of the debates that went on during this period, for example many words wound up being spelt as to their roots like the words "debt" and "doubt" which came from the French language. The word "rhyme" was given an "h" simply because the word "rhythm" already had one. Around this time the Great Vowel Shift also took place, which altered spoken English from the Old English pronunciation to a more modern sounding form.
The possession of an English bible had become illegal once more and William Tyndale left the country to write his translation of the bible from the original Hebrew and Greek version, which he published in 1526. Many of his sayings are still used today, including, "scapegoat," "the apple of mine eye," "eat, drink and be merry," and words such as "beautiful" and "zealous." Eventually, Henry VIII of England wished for the creation of an English bible and a new Church of England so that he could divorce his wife Catherine of Aragon. In time, King James I would create an official version of the bible which had become wide spread with various versions. This bible deliberately used words like "ye" and "thou," which were no longer in common use, to create the sense that the words written would appear to be ancient, to have authority.
In the early to mid 1300s, English fought to be the language of the Christian Bible through the efforts of theologian John Wycliffe, who opposed the church's use of a Latin scripture because it prevented most of the population from reading the bible for themselves. Though Wycliffe died before English became the official language of the bible, Bragg discusses how his translation eventually led to the transition of various Latin words into the English language, including "emperor," "justice,""profession," "suddenly" or "angel."
Eventually, Henry V of England would use his power in order to create this English language bible in the early 1400s. However, the difficulty of creating a common language for all the English dialects in the United Kingdom had to be addressed since there was such an array of spellings and pronunciations. Bragg explains, "The '-ing' participle, as in 'running,' was said as '-and' in the North, '-end' in the East Midlands, and '-ind' in the West Midlands. So 'running' could also be said as 'runnand,' 'runnind,' and 'runnend.'" The number of spellings was even greater, Bragg offers sixteen different ways in which the word meaning "church" had been spelt at the time, including "kerke," "kirc," "chirche," "cherge" and "schyrche."
The Chancery had the duty of creating an official spelling for each spoken word, much of which is still used in modern English. Still, the spelling was confusing because of the debates that went on during this period, for example many words wound up being spelt as to their roots like the words "debt" and "doubt" which came from the French language. The word "rhyme" was given an "h" simply because the word "rhythm" already had one. Around this time the Great Vowel Shift also took place, which altered spoken English from the Old English pronunciation to a more modern sounding form.
The possession of an English bible had become illegal once more and William Tyndale left the country to write his translation of the bible from the original Hebrew and Greek version, which he published in 1526. Many of his sayings are still used today, including, "scapegoat," "the apple of mine eye," "eat, drink and be merry," and words such as "beautiful" and "zealous." Eventually, Henry VIII of England wished for the creation of an English bible and a new Church of England so that he could divorce his wife Catherine of Aragon. In time, King James I would create an official version of the bible which had become wide spread with various versions. This bible deliberately used words like "ye" and "thou," which were no longer in common use, to create the sense that the words written would appear to be ancient, to have authority.
Squared Watermelon
Pomegranate 
Dragon fruit
Kiwano 
Rambutan
Ackee 
Magosteen 
Buddha's Hand 
Urucu 
The Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) is certainly not the fastest way to travel from San Diego to San Francisco, but it is, without a doubt (certainly), the most scenic (with beautiful scenery, or views)! The PCH – 
The lost language of Ugaritic was last spoken 3,500 years ago. It survives on just a few tablets, and linguists could only translate it with years of hard work and plenty of luck. A computer deciphered it in hours.
