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All the world speaks Globish As English gains momentum as a second language all around the world, it is morphing into a new and simplified version of itself — one that responds to the 24/7 demands of a global economy and culture with a stripped-down vocabulary of words like “airplane,” “chat room,” “taxi,” and “cell phone.” Having neatly made the transition from the Queen’s English to the more democratic American version, it is now becoming a worldwide power, a populist tool increasingly known as Globish. Bending too far back to meet immigrant demands Chancellor Angela Merkel announced that Germany's attempt to build a multicultural society had 'utterly failed.' Years ago Germany needed immigrants to meet the country's labour shortage. Many of these immigrants were from Turkey and the Islamic world - different culture and different language. 'Those who want to take part (in our society) must not only obey our laws, they must also master our language,' she said. Germany still needs highly skilled immigrants to satisfy its job market. Catalonia's human towers added to Unesco's "intangible cultural heritage" list It is one of Catalonia's more unusual spectacles - and now the region has applied for the tradition of building a castell, or human tower, to be inscribed on Unesco's list of examples of \'intangible cultural heritage'. A common sight at Catalonian festivals, castells can be up to 10 human storeys high, with a small child usually being placed on the top. Teams compete to create the most elaborate construction, in a tradition which is believed to date back to the 18th Century. Cultural globalisation and the beauty industry America's obsession with thinness has stemmed in part from an increasing supply of food, but also from the growth of consumer culture and the redefinition of women's roles. As other countries continue to develop along the same lines as the US, and increasingly consume Western media, they too may take on these ideals. Disney's schools in China For Chinese parents, “education means everything”. English, in particular, is viewed as a ticket to the wider world. Chinese parents, whose hopes are often invested in a single child, are understandably picky about schools. For the company that can learn how to help little emperors learn, the rewards will be immense. And for Disney, the business has an added bonus: Chinese children weaned on Mickey and Goofy may one day demand to be taken to a theme park. Linguist on mission to save Inuit 'fossil language' disappearing with the ice Some cultures and landscapes are more vulnerable than others from environmental, socio-economic and political pressures. Climate change is becoming an important environmental pressure in this context. For instance, the Inughuit people of north-west Greenland are a ‘micro-society’ whose very existence is now threatened by climate change. Modern art was CIA 'weapon' For decades in art circles it was either a rumour or a joke, but now it is confirmed as a fact. The Central Intelligence Agency used American modern art as a weapon in the Cold War. In the propaganda war with the Soviet Union, the new artistic movement could be held up as proof of the creativity, the intellectual freedom, and the cultural power of the US. Russian art, strapped into the communist ideological straitjacket, could not compete. Rural-urban divide in mankind's relationship with nature To many country dwellers, the mountains, plains, forests, and rivers of Washington state are a limitless resource of arable and grazing land, precious metals, timber and hydroelectricity - and some of the pious among them like to quote the Book of Genesis, in which God is said to give man 'dominion' over 'all the earth'. Environmental activists are often dubbed 'Seattle liberals' by ruralists To environmental activists (usually described by the ruralists as 'Seattle liberals'), the magnificent geography of Washington state is a sacred space, a wilderness to be lovingly preserved and restored, as closely as possible, to its original 'pristine' state. And Seattleites have been inclined to treat the rest of their state as a giant park, a recreational facility for hikers, fly-fishermen, climbers, mountain-bikers, birders, and the like, for whom the traditional occupations of the countryside appear simply as rude blots on the landscape. Pitched battles have been fought between the city and the countryside over such bones of contention as the habitat of the spotted owl (that battle resulted in the end of logging on National Forest land), gold mines, cattle grazing, dams on rivers (which block the passage of the declining runs of Pacific salmon to their spawning grounds), brush-cutting and wetlands setbacks. Secrets of doing business in India Superpower: Culture Tesco focuses on catering to local food tastes in China Tesco's international approach has always been different to rivals - American retail giant Wal-Mart, which owns Asda and the French chain Carrefour. Tesco has tended to mould its stores and products to the local market. At Dachengdong, China, shoppers seek out pigs heads or chicken feet at the ready-to-eat counter. For fresh fish, sea cucumbers, and soft shell turtle, they can be found in the paddling pool in the centre of the food hall. Rivals have more of a cookie-cutter approach to conquering markets, parachuting big box warehouses into foreign cities, hoping international produce and western brands will woo shoppers. Jonathan Pritchard, an analyst at broker Oriel Securities said: 'Tastes do not travel from one city to the next, let alone province, and Tesco has been eager to recruit locally to ensure that local traditions and tastes are catered for.' Threat to sell part of US national park Governor of Wyoming threatens to sell chunk of Grand Teton unless White House boosts state's education budget.
All the world speaks Globish
Bending too far back to meet immigrant demands
Catalonia's human towers added to Unesco's "intangible cultural heritage" list
Cultural globalisation and the beauty industry
Disney's schools in China
Linguist on mission to save Inuit 'fossil language' disappearing with the ice
Modern art was CIA 'weapon'
Rural-urban divide in mankind's relationship with nature
Secrets of doing business in India
Superpower: Culture
Tesco focuses on catering to local food tastes in China
Threat to sell part of US national park
