Buying gifts for men can be both a lot of fun and a tough challenge. Some guys prefer funky gadgets, others appreciate more classy gifts, and some are just happy to get anything that isn’t tie.
Here’s a list of five items for the men in your life, to at least get you started in the right direction. Keep reading »
I don’t have cable. I don’t even have a TV. I pay a couple of bucks a month for a Netflix subscription, use Pandora, and watch whatever I can find on Hulu.
I don’t find myself lacking for things to watch. Cable, it seems, is not long for this world. Since Google is riding the wave of alternative TV sources, it might just put the nail in the coffin for cable as we know it. Keep reading »
With the hot summer months upon us, there’s a great need to keep yourself healthy in the heat. Heat illness is responsible for deaths around the world; even in the US, it can affect anyone, and it’s 100% preventable. By understanding the signs of heat illness and ways to treat and prevent it, you can keep yourself safe and healthy while you’re out this summer. Keep reading »
Forget pesky patches and bad-tasting gum. The most popular way to kick your cigarette habit for good is electronic cigarettes. Also known as E-cigarettes, they use an electronic inhaler containing nicotine that enables the user to mimic the act of smoking a real cigarette.
While advocates argue that e-cigarettes are healthier than real ones, the Food and Drug Administration, along with other global health organizations, remain doubtful.
More than 45 million people in the United States smoke, and an estimated half of these people try to nip the habit in the bud each year. More and more are turning to electronic cigarettes for help. Keep reading »
Understanding any country will take more than textbook reading . Real understanding of a foreign country’s culture can only come about through experience. One of the best ways of experiencing a country is through the media sector. Language learners will find it easier if they watch what the locals watch, listen to what they listen to, and read what they read. This can help language learners such as those looking into studying Thai hopefully to speak like locals do in due time.
Thailand has one of the most developed media in Southeast Asia. It has managed to be relatively free even with the government’s increasing restriction to maintain a certain degree of control. Never the less, the different forms of media including TV, radio, and newspapers continue to be rich sources of learning for foreigners trying to understand Thailand.
Among these media forms, TV is the most popular while radio is another. Thailand newspapers are many. Because of the wide range of choices available, newspapers are considered good materials in accomplishing the most important factor of language learning – practice. Practice makes perfect, so it is said and it becomes even more possible when there are variations to practice on.
Learning Thai goes beyond translation. In learning this language, it is important to grasp the concept instead of settling for mere literal counterparts of every word. Learning a second language is perceived by many as more difficult than learning a first language from childhood in the person’s place of origin.
No foreigner gets to read a Thai newspaper with ease from learning that solely comes from books. Most newspapers, specifically the mass-circulation dailies, cover a wide range of everyday topics including culture, politics, crime, and populist issues. These stories when understood can be used to converse with the locals for better learning of the language.
Just like in newspapers in other languages where articles contain anything from the more formal to the casual use of the language, readers are exposed to the Thai language in written form when efforts are exerted to read Thai newspapers. Watching TV or listening to radio provide exposure to actual use with regards to tone and inflection. Combining the two provides the perfect recipe for learning the language.
Living the Thai life definitely goes beyond seeing the popular travel destinations of the country. The local culture is always the best teacher. On the other hand, the best tools for learning can be provided by media.
