The Most Corrupt Countries in the World

More than half of the world’s population believes corruption in the public sector is a very serious problem. Liberia and Mongolia are the two most corrupt countries in the world, according to a recent study. In both countries, 86% of residents believe corruption in the public sector is a very serious problem. Residents in the vast majority of countries around the world believe corruption has only gotten worse in the past two years.

Anti-corruption nonprofit Transparency International has released its 2013 Global Corruption Barometer, which surveyed residents in 107 countries. The world’s corrupt nations differ in many ways. Four are located in Africa, three in Latin America and two in Asia. These nations also vary considerably in size and population. Mongolia has just 3.2 million residents, while Mexico, Nigeria and Russia are three of the largest countries on the globe, each with more than 100 million people. Based on the percentage of surveyed residents that reported corruption in the public sector is a very serious problem, these are the world’s most corrupt nations.

Click here to see the most corrupt countries

What many of these nations do have in common is that their people are largely opposed to corruption. Globally, 69% of people questioned by Transparency International said they would report corruption if they encountered it. In seven of the nine nations with the worst corruption, residents were at least slightly more likely to oppose corruption. In Paraguay, one of the countries with high corruption, 90% of citizens said they would report corruption, while 87% and 86% said they would do so in Mexico and Russia, respectively.

Many of those surveyed in the highly corrupt countries also felt their governments were not holding up their end of the bargain. In seven of the nine countries, more than half of those questioned felt their government was ineffective at fighting corruption. In Liberia, 86% of residents surveyed said their government was ineffective at fighting the problem. This was the largest proportion of any of the 107 nations Transparency International surveyed.

While corruption appears to affect every part of the public sector, certain segments were much worse than the rest. Globally, at least 60% of respondents claimed political parties and police were corrupt. Additionally, more than 50% of people stated their legislature, their public officials and their judiciary were corrupt.

In the world’s most corrupt nations, those institutions were, naturally, even worse. In Nigeria, 94% of people claimed their political parties were corrupt, the most in the world. Similarly, 96% of Liberians reported their legislature was corrupt, also the most in the world. In eight of the nine most corrupt nations, more than 80% of residents considered the police to be corrupt.

Many of these nations remain among the world’s less-developed, and they lack the resources of the United States, Japan and the European Union nations. Among the most corrupt nations, only Mexico, Russia and Venezuela had an estimated gross domestic product (GDP) per capita over $10,000 in 2012. None were among the top 50 nations measured in GDP per capita. By comparison, the U.S. per capita GDP was estimated to be nearly $50,000.

Based on figures published by Transparency International, 24/7 Wall St. determined the nations with the highest percentage of respondents who claimed corruption was a very serious problem. Transparency International also provided other figures on corruption perception. Data on GDP by nation came from the International Monetary Fund. Population statistics are from The CIA World Factbook.

9. Zambia
> Pct. saying corruption very serious: 77%
> Pct. claiming public officials corrupt: 65% (41st highest)
> Pct. claiming police corrupt: 92% (tied f0r 4th highest)
> 2012 GDP per capita: $1,722

In September 2011, Zambia held elections that resulted in the election of President Michael Sata. Since Sata’s victory, several officials from the past administration, including former President Rupiah Banda, have been arrested for corruption. Complicating matters, many of the corruption allegations relate to government officials receiving improper benefits from Chinese investors, who are unpopular in much of the country yet provide direct investment and jobs. Zambia’s residents are poor, with an estimated GDP per capita of just $1,722 in 2012, versus nearly $50,000 in the United States. An extremely high 85% of residents claimed they had been asked to pay a bribe in the past.

Also Read: Countries Spending the Most on the Military

8. Nigeria
> Pct. saying corruption very serious: 78%
> Pct. claiming public officials corrupt: 69% (28th highest)
> Pct. claiming police corrupt: 92% (tied for 4th highest)
> 2012 GDP per capita: $2,720

In Nigeria, 84% of those surveyed by Transparency International claimed corruption had increased in the past two years, a higher percentage than almost any other country in the world. Troublingly, 75% of those surveyed also said the government was, at best, ineffective at fighting corruption, worse than in all but 10 countries. Nigeria is heavily dependent on the oil industry, yet the government refuses to act on accusations the oil companies underreporting the value of the resources they extract and the tax they owe by billions of dollars. Certain transparency groups also blamed politicians for encouraging corruption. In 2012, Nigeria had just the 37th largest GDP in the world, despite having the world’s seventh largest population.

7. Russia
> Pct. saying corruption very serious: 79% (tied for 5th highest)
> Pct. claiming public officials corrupt: 92% (the highest)
> Pct. claiming police corrupt: 89% (10th highest)
> 2012 GDP per capita: $17,709

According to 82% of individuals surveyed, it is important to have personal contacts to get anything done in Russia’s public sector. Additionally, 85% of Russians stated the government was run by just a few large entities for their own best interests. The only two other countries where residents were more likely to feel this way were Lebanon and Cyprus. The latter was known until recently as a haven for Russian oligarchs’ money. These hyper-wealthy individuals often have close political ties, which allowed many to become wealthy during Russia’s post-Soviet privatization.

6. Paraguay
> Pct. saying corruption very serious: 79% (tied for 5th highest)
> Pct. claiming public officials corrupt: 58% (55th highest)
> Pct. claiming police corrupt: 82% (26th highest)
> 2012 GDP per capita: $6,136

In few nations were personal connections considered to be more important than in Paraguay. As many as 88% of the country’s residents said such contacts were important in getting things done within the public sector, a higher proportion than all but two other countries worldwide. This was also the reasoning behind the majority of bribes, with 63% of all such payments going toward speeding up a service. Worse, 78% of residents noted that their government had been either ineffective or very ineffective at fighting corruption, one of the highest proportions worldwide.

5. Mexico
> Pct. saying corruption very serious: 79% (tied for 5th highest)
> Pct. claiming public officials corrupt: 87% (3rd highest)
> Pct. claiming police corrupt: 90% (8th highest)
> 2012 GDP per capita: $15,312

Globally, 53% of individuals surveyed by Transparency International claimed that corruption had risen in the past two years. However, in Mexico, that figure was 71% as the country’s citizens have become less tolerant of corruption. In addition, 72% of those polled stated the Mexican government was ineffective in fighting corruption, while 78% claimed that having personal contacts was either important or very important in getting the public sector to be helpful. Last year, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) won elections nationwide to return to power despite previous allegations of heavy corruption. In a July 2012 article, Time magazine described corruption as “the stubborn remnant of the PRI’s seven decades of authoritarian rule that is at the heart of the drug lords’ ability to operate in Mexico.”

Also Read: The Most Competitive Cities of the Future

4. Zimbabwe
> Pct. saying corruption very serious: 81%
> Pct. claiming public officials corrupt: 70% (25th highest)
> Pct. claiming police corrupt: 86% (15th highest)
> 2012 GDP per capita: $559

Roughly 77% of those surveyed claimed that corruption in Zimbabwe had risen in the past two years, a higher percentage than in all but a few other countries. Potentially contributing to this rise, longtime President Robert Mugabe failed to keep past elections free from violence and voting irregularities. Mugabe’s opponent is likely far more popular with the people, but the upcoming elections on July 31 could still end up rigged in the Mugabe’s favor. More than three-quarters of residents stated that the government was run largely or entirely by a few entities acting in their own best interests.

3. Venezuela
> Pct. saying corruption very serious: 83%
> Pct. claiming public officials corrupt: 79% (9th highest)
> Pct. claiming police corrupt: 83% (24th highest)
> 2012 GDP per capita: $13,616

Venezuela’s long-ruling socialist president, Hugo Chavez, passed away in March. Corruption was a concern in Venezuela since before Chavez’s first election victory in 1998. His chosen successor, Nicolas Maduro, has vowed to end corruption, which has often been associated with Venezuela’s socialist government. Before April’s presidential election, opposition candidate Henrique Capriles claimed that nationalization of private businesses allowed public officials to control major industries for personal profit. In Venezuela, 79% of respondents said their nation’s political officials were corrupt, among the highest percentages in the world.

2. Mongolia
> Pct. saying corruption very serious: 86% (tied for the highest)
> Pct. claiming public officials corrupt: 77% (12th highest)
> Pct. claiming police corrupt: 66% (49th highest)
> 2012 GDP per capita: $5,372

Mongolia had one of the world’s fastest growing economies in 2012, when its GDP rose an estimated 12.3%, according to the IMF. But corruption has been identified by USAID as a critical threat to the country’s continued growth as well as to its democracy. Corruption has become pervasive in the country, after ”rapid transition to democracy and a market economy created huge demands on bureaucracy that lacks the [means] to prevent corruption,” according to the organization. Encouragingly, less than half of all people surveyed in the country said that corruption had increased in the past two years, versus 53% of respondents worldwide. Also, while 77% of people considered public officials to be corrupt, just 12% believed the country’s government to be run by a few large, purely self-interested entities.

1. Liberia
> Pct. saying corruption very serious: 86% (tied for the highest)
> Pct. claiming public officials corrupt: 67% (35th highest)
> Pct. claiming police corrupt: 94% (3rd highest)
> 2012 GDP per capita: $673

The vast majority of Liberians surveyed said they believed the country was run either largely or entirely by a few entities acting in their own self interest. A world-leading 86% of residents who spoke to Transparency International claimed their government had been either ineffective or very ineffective at fighting corruption, while 96% of residents claimed Liberia’s legislature was corrupt, also the highest percentage of any nation. A stunning 75% of residents surveyed claimed they had paid a bribe to secure some service, trailing only Sierra Leone. In all, 80% of the population had at one point been asked to pay a bribe. Recently, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf fired the country’s auditor general for corruption.

(Quoted from http://247wallst.com/)

WEDDING IS MARRIAGE OF MIND AND HEART

Wedding is marriage of mind and heart.If you do not believe , see this picture.What is your opinion?

LOVE VS. SEX

Love and sex are NOT the same thing. Love is an emotion or a feeling. There is no one definition of love because the word "love" can mean many different things to many different people. Sex, on the other hand, is a biological event. Even though there are different kinds of sex, most sexual acts have certain things in common. Sex may or may not include penetration.

Differences Between Love and Sex

Love:

• Love is a feeling (emotional).
• There is no exact "right" definition of love for everybody.
• Love involves feelings of romance and/or attraction.

Sex:

• Sex is an event or act (physical).
• There are different kinds of sex but all kinds of sex have some things in common.
• Can happen between a male and a female, between two females, between two males, or by one's self (masturbation).

Ways to express love without sex

There are countless nonsexual ways to show someone you love them. You can show a person you care for them by spending time with them. Go to the movies. Or just hang out and talk. If you are with someone you really like, then anything can be fun.

There are also ways to feel physically close without having sex. These include everything from kissing and hugging to touching and petting each other. Just remember that if you're not careful these activities can lead to sex. Plan beforehand just how far you want to go, and stick to your limits. It can be difficult to say "No" and mean it when things get hot and heavy.

(Quoted from http://www.iwannaknow.org/)

Thought Building Process

Thinking and Doing Research in English:

Thinking and Doing Research in English:
Myths, Realities and Challenges
Nasir Jamal Khattak, PhD (Amherst)

Research is tricky, illusive, rewarding, "difficult," and "easy" to do. It is tricky and illusive because most of us undertake it without proper guidance and training; we do it in a rush. Haste is one thing that we cannot afford in research. A little from here; a little from there; coupled with these is what we say and we should have a research paper, thesis, or dissertation ready. In a way, more or less that is what research is all about. However, there is a method to the madness of research. And that is precisely what makes research difficult but rewarding. It not only contributes to the body of knowledge and discourse that is there in the area in which we research it also helps us further our professional career. Most people not only do research, they have their work published too. So what is it that these people do and we do not? Where do we go wrong and how do we look for a "researchable" topic? Can we find a "good" topic? And what is a "good topic" anyway? How do we find one? And how do we go about it? And how about doing research in English Literature or Linguistics? Is there any difference between the two? How do we bridge the cultural gap? How do we "read" the text analytically to develop an argument? What do I look for in a text? How do we develop a theoretic framework?

ONE MORE DAY WASTED

It was a different kind of day.I was not agile and fit from early start of my day.I was haggard and tired.Nothing was looking bright.As i live in Pakistan,the curse of load shedding was looming before me.My UPS was out of order.I telephoned mechanic.He said , he would come but he came very late.I waited and waited but my waiting came to an end very late.My AC was also out of order.I telephoned the company to send their mechanic and they said they would charge one thousand rupees for Service charges. It was very costly thing but I have to accept this offer willingly as there was no option. Company said Mechanics would come at 10 a.m but they came at 12.00 p.m.That was complete waste of time but what to do.I wanted to study but hopes did not fulfill.Life was leading towards minor chores which were quite useless.I was very annoyed with my life.Noting was according to schedule.Everything was just pass time.I am feeling bored and tired.Today, my life was like an aimless boat.I have higher aims but wastage of time is hinderance in my way.Who is to blame? I, myself.or fate or routine life or my region or my luck or anything else.I do not know.I do not know.

Benediction by Rabindranath Tagore

Bless this little heart, this white soul that has won the kiss of
heaven for our earth.
He loves the light of the sun, he loves the sight of his
mother's face.
He has not learned to despise the dust, and to hanker after
gold.
Clasp him to your heart and bless him.
He has come into this land of an hundred cross-roads.
I know not how he chose you from the crowd, came to your door,
and grasped you hand to ask his way.
He will follow you, laughing the talking, and not a doubt in
his heart.
Keep his trust, lead him straight and bless him.
Lay your hand on his head, and pray that though the waves
underneath grow threatening, yet the breath from above may come and
fill his sails and waft him to the heaven of peace.
Forget him not in your hurry, let him come to your heart and
bless him. 

Beggarly Heart by Rabindranath Tagore

When the heart is hard and parched up,
come upon me with a shower of mercy.

When grace is lost from life,
come with a burst of song.

When tumultuous work raises its din on all sides shutting me out from
beyond, come to me, my lord of silence, with thy peace and rest.

When my beggarly heart sits crouched, shut up in a corner,
break open the door, my king, and come with the ceremony of a king.

When desire blinds the mind with delusion and dust, O thou holy one,
thou wakeful, come with thy light and thy thunder 

Baby's World by Rabindranath Tagore

Baby's World by Rabindranath Tagore

I wish I could take a quiet corner in the heart of my baby's very
own world.
I know it has stars that talk to him, and a sky that stoops
down to his face to amuse him with its silly clouds and rainbows.
Those who make believe to be dumb, and look as if they never
could move, come creeping to his window with their stories and with
trays crowded with bright toys.
I wish I could travel by the road that crosses baby's mind,
and out beyond all bounds;
Where messengers run errands for no cause between the kingdoms
of kings of no history;
Where Reason makes kites of her laws and flies them, the Truth
sets Fact free from its fetters. 

Mario Balotelli

WARSAW, POLAND –  Mario Balotelli finally showed some quality finishing, scoring twice Thursday to give Italy a 2-1 win over Germany and an unexpected spot in the European Championship final.

Extending its winless streak against Italy in major tournaments to eight matches, Germany had no answer for Balotelli nor Antonio Cassano's creativity.

In the 20th minute, Balotelli had no trouble getting past Holger Badstuber to head in a pinpoint cross from Cassano. Then in the 36th, the 21-year-old striker received the ball behind the defense and blasted a long shot into the top right corner.

While he did score against Ireland , Balotelli was criticized for wasting numerous chances against Spain , Croatia and England .

''All I can say is that when you talk about Italy, everyone needs to be careful,'' Italy coach Cesare Prandelli said. ''We played an extraordinary match. We displayed a model of fair play and attachment to this shirt.''

Germany failed to trouble Italy for much of the match, but Mesut Oezil scored a consolation penalty in injury time after Federico Balzaretti was whistled for a handball.

Italy will face defending champion Spain in Sunday's final in Kiev, Ukraine - a rematch of their 1-1 draw that opened Group C.

''We showed we're on Spain's level and that's where we started this run,'' Italy midfielder Claudio Marchisio said. ''It's no longer a question of fear. Now we've got to pull out everything we still have inside ourselves.''

While Italy has won four World Cups, it's only European Championship title came in 1968. Like when they won the 1982 and 2006 World Cups, the Azzurri have managed to maintain their focus despite a match-fixing and betting scandal at home.

On a pleasant evening at the National Stadium Warsaw, Cassano set up the opening goal by befuddling Germany defenders Mats Hummels and Jerome Boateng to lift the ball in Balotelli's direction.

The second goal began with a long vertical pass from Riccardo Montolivo, whose mother is German. Balotelli collected the pass with his back to the goal, controlled the ball with his chest and then sprinted forward and unleashed a blazing shot from the edge of the area as Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer again stood immobile.

''Balotelli's career has just started,'' Prandelli said.

Balotelli took off his jersey after his second goal, which drew an automatic yellow card, although he will not miss the final.

Even before scoring, Italy controlled the pace of the match, although Germany did have several chances from Hummels, Toni Kroos and Oezil.

In the 35th, Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon preserved the Azzurri lead by swatting away a long shot from Sami Khedira - and Balotelli doubled the lead a minute later.

To start the second half, Germany coach Joachim Loew brought on Miroslav Klose for Mario Gomez at center forward and replaced Lukas Podolski with Marco Reus on the wing.

With Germany appearing slightly more organized, captain Philipp Lahm had a great look at the goal in the 49th but shot way over the bar.

Buffon made another impressive save in the 62nd, leaping to push a free kick from Reus off the bar.

While Italy largely sat back and protected its lead in the second half, the Azzurri did produce some dangerous counterattacks. Marchisio shot just wide in the 67th and 75th and substitute Antonio Di Natale missed another chance in the 82nd.

Di Natale came on in the 70th after Balotelli went down with a cramp to his left leg.

White-clad German fans greatly outnumbered Italian supporters, unveiling a huge banner before kickoff that featured a giant ''G'' for Germany. However, most of the stadium was filled with Polish fans who supported Italy.

They had plenty to cheer about.

''We're living a dream along with millions of Italians,'' Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini said. ''We're going to enjoy this victory a little longer, then we'll think about Sunday, because we want to continue dreaming.''

 Totally quoted from http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/sports/2012/06/28/balotelli-italy-defeat-germany/
Picture taken from (http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/soccer-dirty-tackle/mario-balotelli-takes-control-euro-2012-powerful-blast-211302579--sow.html)with courtesy. 

THE DEFINITION AND BRANCHES OF LINGUISTICs

THE DEFINITION AND BRANCHES OF LINGUISTICs


The Definition of Linguistics.

Linguistics is study of language.

Linguistics is concerned with human language as a universal and recognizable part of human behavior and of the human abilities. Raja T. Nasr (1984).

Linguistics is competence as being a persons potential to speak a language, and his or her linguistics performance as the realization of that potential. Monica Crabtree & Joyce Powers (1994).

The Branches of linguistics

1. General linguistic generally describes the concepts and categories of a particular language or among all language. It also provides analyzed theory of the language.

Descriptive linguistic describes or gives the data to confirm or refute the theory of particular language explained generally.

2. Micro linguistic is narrower view. It is concerned internal view of language itself (structure of language systems) without related to other sciences and without related how to apply it in daily life. Some fields of micro linguistic:

a. Phonetics, the study of the physical properties of sounds of human language

b. Phonology, the study of sounds as discrete, abstract elements in the speaker's mind that distinguish meaning

c. Morphology, the study of internal structures of words and how they can be modified

d. Syntax, the study of how words combine to form grammatical sentences

e. Semantics, the study of the meaning of words (lexical semantics) and fixed word combinations (phraseology), and how these combine to form the meanings of sentences

f. Pragmatics, the study of how utterances are used (literally, figuratively, or otherwise) in communicative acts

g. Discourse analysis, the analysis of language use in texts (spoken, written, or signed)

h. Applied linguistic is the branch of linguistic that is most concerned with application of the concepts in everyday life, including language-teaching.

3. Macro linguistic is broadest view of language. It is concerned external view of language itself with related to other sciences and how to apply it in daily life. Some fields of micro linguistic:

a. Stylistics, the study of linguistic factors that place a discourse in context.

b. Developmental linguistics, the study of the development of linguistic ability in an individual, particularly the acquisition of language in childhood.

c. Historical linguistics or Diachronic linguistics, the study of language change.

d. Language geography, the study of the spatial patterns of languages.

e. Evolutionary linguistics, the study of the origin and subsequent development of language.

f. Psycholinguistics, the study of the cognitive processes and representations underlying language use.

g. Sociolinguistics, the study of social patterns and norms of linguistic variability.

h. Clinical linguistics, the application of linguistic theory to the area of Speech-Language Pathology.

i. Neurolinguistics, the study of the brain networks that underlie grammar and communication.

j. Biolinguistics, the study of natural as well as human-taught communication systemTHE DEFINITION AND BRANCHES OF LINGUISTICs

THE DEFINITION AND BRANCHES OF LINGUISTICs



The Branches of linguistics

1. General linguistic generally describes the concepts and categories of a particular language or among all language. It also provides analyzed theory of the language.

Descriptive linguistic describes or gives the data to confirm or refute the theory of particular language explained generally.

2. Micro linguistic is narrower view. It is concerned internal view of language itself (structure of language systems) without related to other sciences and without related how to apply it in daily life. Some fields of micro linguistic:

a. Phonetics, the study of the physical properties of sounds of human language

b. Phonology, the study of sounds as discrete, abstract elements in the speaker's mind that distinguish meaning

c. Morphology, the study of internal structures of words and how they can be modified

d. Syntax, the study of how words combine to form grammatical sentences

e. Semantics, the study of the meaning of words (lexical semantics) and fixed word combinations (phraseology), and how these combine to form the meanings of sentences

f. Pragmatics, the study of how utterances are used (literally, figuratively, or otherwise) in communicative acts

g. Discourse analysis, the analysis of language use in texts (spoken, written, or signed)

h. Applied linguistic is the branch of linguistic that is most concerned with application of the concepts in everyday life, including language-teaching.

3. Macro linguistic is broadest view of language. It is concerned external view of language itself with related to other sciences and how to apply it in daily life. Some fields of micro linguistic:

a. Stylistics, the study of linguistic factors that place a discourse in context.

b. Developmental linguistics, the study of the development of linguistic ability in an individual, particularly the acquisition of language in childhood.

c. Historical linguistics or Diachronic linguistics, the study of language change.

d. Language geography, the study of the spatial patterns of languages.

e. Evolutionary linguistics, the study of the origin and subsequent development of language.

f. Psycholinguistics, the study of the cognitive processes and representations underlying language use.

g. Sociolinguistics, the study of social patterns and norms of linguistic variability.

h. Clinical linguistics, the application of linguistic theory to the area of Speech-Language Pathology.

i. Neurolinguistics, the study of the brain networks that underlie grammar and communication.

j. Biolinguistics, the study of natural as well as human-taught communication systems in animals compared to human language.

Computational linguistics, the study of computational implementations of linguistic structures.

Source : the essencial of linguistics scince raja t nasr. (1984)

language files, monica crabtree & joyce powers (1994).s in animals compared to human language.

Computational linguistics, the study of computational implementations of linguistic structures.

Source : the essencial of linguistics scince raja t nasr. (1984)

language files, monica crabtree & joyce powers (1994).

What is linguistics?

Some basics: What is linguistics and how is it used? What is linguistics?
Linguistics is the study of language – not just particular languages, but the system of human communication. Some of the basic issues of this field are?

• What is language? How is it organized?
• How is it analyzed? How are its units discovered and tested?
• Where is language stored and processed in the brain? How is it learned?
• What do all languages—including nonvocal systems of communication (e.g. writing and sign languages)—have in common? What do these properties show us about human cognition?
• How did language originate? What does it have in common with animal communication? How is it different?
• How many distinct families or stocks of languages are there in the 6000 or so known languages today? What original languages did they come from? How have they changed over time?
• What does dialectal and social variation show us about the use of language? How has this diversity affected issues of social, political, and educational policy?
• What is the relationship between language and culture? Language and thought?

What are some of the branches of linguistics? applied linguistics: application to areas such as speech pathology, reading, social work, missionary work, translation, dictionary compilation, language teaching, error analysis, computer language processing.
dialectology: investigation of regional variation in language.
ethnolinguistics (anthropological linguistics): investigation of the relation between a people's language and culture.
historical (diachronic) linguistics: study of language change and evolution.
morphology: study of word formation and inflection.
neurolinguistics: research into the specific location of language in the brain.
paralinguistics: study of nonverbal (auxiliary) human communication.
philology: study of how language has been used in literature, especially in older manuscripts.
phonetics: description of how speech sounds are articulated and heard.
phonology: study of how languages organize the units of speech into systems.
pragmatics: study of the strategies people use to carry out communicative business in specific contexts.
psycholinguistics: investigation of language as cognitively-based behavior; how it is acquired and processed.
second language acquisition (SLA): study of how older learners acquire language, and of ways to improve it.
sociolinguistics: study of social variation in language: the relation between social structure and language usage, and of social issues involving language.
semantics: study of word and sentence meaning.
syntax: study of the structure of sentences and of underlying principles for generating and processing them.
How is linguistics applied? Many students find linguistics useful because it broadens and deepens their understanding of related fields: languages and literature (English and foreign), social sciences (especially anthropology, sociology, and psychology), education, philosophy, communication... Those who obtain degrees in linguistics often proceed to careers in:

• foreign language teaching
• instructional technology
• ESL (teaching English as a second language)
• teaching and research in general linguistics (phonology, syntax...)
• translation (human and machine-assisted)
• speech pathology and audiology.                                                                  (Totally quoted from http://www.wfu.edu/linguistics/Some_basics.html)

Condoleezza Rice

Condoleezza Rice was born November 14, 1954, in Birmingham, Alabama. She grew up surrounded by racism in the segregated South but went on to become the first woman and first African American to be a Stanford University provost. She was appointed National Security Adviser by George W. Bush in 2001, and served as the 66th Secretary of State of the United States from January 2005-2009.

CONTENTS

• Synopsis
• Profile

QUOTES

Differences can be a strength rather than a handicap.

– Condoleezza Rice

Profile

Academic, Republican politician. Born November 14, 1954 in Birmingham, Alabama. The only child of a Presbyterian minister and a teacher, Rice grew up surrounded by racism in the segregated South. She earned her bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Denver in 1974; her master's from the University of Notre Dame in 1975; and her Ph.D. from the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Denver in 1981. She joined Stanford University as a political science professor in 1981. In 1993, she was the first woman and first African American to become a Stanford provost, a post she held for six years.

In the mid-1980s, Rice spent a period in Washington as an international affairs fellow attached to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In 1989, she became director of Soviet and East European affairs with the National Security Council and special assistant to George Bush during the dissolution of the Soviet Union and German reunification. In 1997, she served on the Federal Advisory Committee on Gender-Integrated Training in the Military. She was appointed National Security Adviser by George W. Bush in 2001, and became Secretary of State in 2004 after Colin Powell's resignation.

As Secretary of State, Rice has dedicated her department to “Transformational Diplomacy” with a mission of building and sustaining democratic, well-governed states around the world and the Middle East in particular. To that end, she has relocated American diplomats to such hardship locations as Iraq, Afghanistan and Angola and required them to become fluent in two foreign languages. She also created a high-level position to de-fragment U.S. foreign aid.

Rice's books include Germany Unified and Europe Transformed(1995) with Philip Zelikow, The Gorbachev Era (1986) with Alexander Dallin, and Uncertain Allegiance: The Soviet Union and the Czechoslovak Army (1984).

(Totally quoted from http://www.biography.com/people/condoleezza-rice-9456857)

$16 House

FLOWER MOUND, Texas –  After paying $16 to file a one-page claim to an empty, $340,000 home in an upscale Dallas suburb, Kenneth Robinson moved in furniture, hung a "No Trespassing" sign in the front window and invited television cameras inside for a tour.

He quickly turned into something of a local celebrity, creating a website, http://16dollarhouse.com , where he sold an e-book and offered training sessions for would-be squatters. And while real estate experts and authorities say he's misusing the law, Robinson appears to have inspired dozens of imitators who moved into Dallas-Fort Worth area homes — some of which were still occupied by their owners.

But Robinson's time in the house ran out Monday.

Bank of America wants possession after foreclosing on the home last month, and a judge on Monday gave Robinson until Feb. 13 to appeal or move out. Rather than wait to be evicted, Robinson slipped out before sunrise Monday, skipped a morning court hearing and refused to say where he was moving next.

"It's been a huge learning experience," he said in a phone call with reporters.

On his website, Robinson describes himself as a savvy investor who's part of a "paradigm shift" in which people have taken over abandoned homes. Last June, under a law known as adverse possession, he filed a claim in court promising to pay taxes and homeowners' association fees while living in the house. He kept the lawn outside mowed, and the front clean.

Robinson spoke to The Associated Press last week while standing at the front door of the two-story, 3,200-square-foot home with a backyard pool. He declined to discuss his background or say how much money he made from book sales or seminars related to his takeover.

He said he started his website — which describes him as "poised, measured, insightful and wise" — to keep the media and others from misleading the public about his story.

"They think some bum off the street came and paid $15 to get a $300,000 house by filing a piece of paperwork," Robinson said. "That is not the case. That is the sum of what happened."

Robinson's website says he's not a lawyer and isn't offering legal advice but has done real estate research.

Real estate experts say he's got the law just plain wrong.

Adverse possession statutes can be found in most states, said Brian C. Rider, a real estate lawyer and professor at the University of Texas. Someone who has openly taken charge of abandoned land for an extended period of time — using a driveway on a neighbor's property, for example — could try to claim that land later, he said.

But it takes a long time to establish those rights, typically 10 years in Texas. Until then, anyone trying to stake claim to a piece of property owned by someone else is just a squatter, Rider said.

Arlington, Texas real estate attorney Grey Pierson said the law is often used to resolve disputes between homeowners over driveways, lawns or other property with shared boundaries — not to take someone's house.

It's not clear how long the home in Flower Mound was empty before Robinson moved in. Its last owner, William Ferguson, bought the house for $332,000 in 2005 and appeared to run into trouble making payments about three years later, according to county records. Ferguson did not have a listed phone number, and the records don't indicate where he moved.

County clerks in North Texas said they have seen such a spike in adverse possession filings that they've stopped accepting the claims without prosecutors' approval. In a handful of cases, squatters entered homes that weren't abandoned, but left empty for a few days.

"We just had people making bad decisions, taking a portion of the law and applying it in a way that was not legal," Tarrant County clerk Mary Louise Garcia said.

In one case, an Arlington travel nurse came home in September to find her locks changed and two TVs missing, according to a police report. Authorities say Anthony Brown came to the front door and told her that he had claimed the home and she was trespassing.

When the nurse asked Brown for his paperwork, he offered to return the home for $2,000, police said. Brown, who was arrested in October, does not have an attorney listed and did not respond to messages left on his cellphone.

Tarrant County constable Clint Burgess said authorities have interviewed a handful of people claiming "adverse possession" who said they spoke to Robinson. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported Robinson attended a December eviction hearing for two charged with burglary. Robinson said then he was attending to show support for the couple.

He says now that he doesn't want to be an example to others.

"The truth is I don't want people to think that they should go out there and do anything based on what I did," he said last week. "Whether they do it or whether they're not is solely up to them."

Robinson hasn't been charged with a crime but police said they responded to several calls from his neighbors. One neighbor, Chris Custard, attended Monday's hearing and was smiling after the eviction was ordered.

"We're going to throw a party," he said.

(Totally quoted from  foxnews.com)

Zsa Zsa Gabor Quotes

To be loved is a strength. To love is a weakness.

A man in love is incomplete until he is married. Then he is finished.

As a woman, you have to choose between your fanny or your face. I chose my face.

I have never hated a man enough to give his diamonds back.

[when asked how many husbands she'd had] You mean other than my own?

To a smart girl men are no problem - they're the answer.

Macho does not prove mucho.

Husbands are like fires. They go out if unattended.

I am a marvelous housekeeper. Every time I leave a man I keep his house.

Getting divorced just because you don't love a man is almost as silly as getting married just because you do.

I don't remember anybody's name. How do you think the "dahling" thing got started?

Conrad Hilton was very generous to me in the divorce settlement. He gave me 5,000 Gideon Bibles.

A girl must marry for love, and keep on marrying until she finds it.

You just cannot drive a Rolls-Royce in Beverly Hills anymore because they have it in for you.

[as quoted in the book "The Humor of Sex"] Personally, I know nothing about sex because I've always been married.

It's never as easy to keep your own spouse happy as it is to make someone else's spouse happy.

I believe in large families: every woman should have at least three husbands.

[on Cary Grant] They are trying to show he's a great lover, but they'll never prove it to me.

Being jealous of a beautiful woman is not going to make you more beautiful.

If they had as much adultery going on in New York as they said in the divorce courts, they would never have a chance to make the beds at the Plaza.

The only place men want depth in a woman is in her décolletage.

You never really know a man until you have divorced him.

[on solitude] When I'm alone, I can sleep cross ways in bed without an argument.

When you are married to an actor, you feel you are nothing but an understudy to him. He only has eyes for himself. It is really the one situation I know of where, with just two people you have a triangle.

Zsa Zsa Gabor :A Celebrity

Birth Name

Sári Gábor 

Nickname

Miss Hungary 

Height

5' 4" (1.63 m) 

Mini Biography

Undoubtedly the woman who had come to epitomize what we recognize today as "celebrity," Zsa Zsa Gabor, is better known for her many marriages, personal appearances, her "dahlink" catchphrase, her actions, life gossip, and quotations on men, rather than her film career.

It is unclear as to Zsa Zsa's birth year: sources vary from 1917 to 1919. Born in Budapest, Hungary, as Sari Gabor, she followed her sister Eva Gabor to Hollywood. A radiant, beautiful blonde, Zsa Zsa began appearing on television shows and doing odd movies.

Her first film was at MGM in Lovely to Look at (1952), co-starring Kathryn Grayson and Red Skelton. She next made a comedy called We're Not Married! (1952) at Twentieth Century Fox, with Ginger Rogers. It was far from a star billing for Zsa Zsa, appearing several names down the cast list as a supporting actress.

It was in 1952, however, that saw her break into movies big time occurred, with her starring role opposite José Ferrer in Moulin Rouge (1952), although it has been said that she was given a very hard time throughout the filming by director John Huston.

In the following years, Zsa Zsa slipped back into supporting roles in films such as Lili (1953) and 3 Ring Circus (1954). Her main period of film work was in the 1950s, with other roles in Death of a Scoundrel (1956) with Yvonne De Carlo and The Man Who Wouldn't Talk (1958) with Anna Neagle. Again, these were supporting roles. By the 1960s, Zsa Zsa was appearing more as herself in the movies. She now appeared to follow her own persona around, and cameo appearances were the order of the day in films such as Pepe (1960) and Jack of Diamonds (1967). This has continued throughout the 1970s decade.

She was very memorable as herself in The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991), in which she humorously pokes fun at an incident. In 1990 when she was convicted of slapping a police officer (Paul Kramer) during a traffic dispute and spent three days in jail and had to do 120 hours of community service after her time in jail expired. Such infamous incidents contributed to her becoming one of the most all-time recognizable of Hollywood celebrities in recent years, and sometimes ridiculed as a result. She was also memorable to British television viewers on "The Ruby Wax Show" (1997).

In 2002, Gabor was reported to be in a coma in a Los Angeles hospital after a horrifying car accident. The 85-year-old, star was injured when the car she was traveling in hit a light pole in West Hollywood, California. The reports about her coma, eventually proved to be inaccurate.

IMDb Mini Biography By: Bobby Jarvis 

Spouse

Frédéric von Anhalt	(14 August 1986 - present)
Felipe de Alba	(13 April 1983 - 14 April 1983) (annulled)
Michael O'Hara	(27 August 1976 - 30 November 1982) (divorced)
Jack Ryan	(21 January 1975 - 24 August 1976) (divorced)
Joshua S. Cosden Jr	(9 March 1966 - 18 October 1967) (divorced)
Herbert Hutner	(5 November 1962 - 3 March 1966) (divorced)
George Sanders	(2 April 1949 - 2 April 1954) (divorced)
Conrad Hilton	(10 April 1942 - 22 December 1947) (divorced) 1 child
Burhan Belge	(1937 - 1941) (divorced)

Trade Mark

Her quantity of marriages is nine.

She commonly refers to other people as "Dahling".

Trivia

On June 14, 1989, she was arrested for slapping police officer, Paul Kramer, in Beverly Hills, California. Kramer stopped her after noticing that her license tag on her automobile was no longer valid and expired. After a short but costly trial of $13,000 and a $12,350 fine, totaling $25,350.Eva Gabor spoke for her sister, at the trial. In September of 1989, Zsa-Zsa was found guilty. She served three days in jail and was ordered to do 120 hours of community service, after her three days behind bars had expired.

Daughter of Jolie Gabor. Sister of Magda Gabor and Eva Gabor. Mother of actress Francesca Hilton and ex-step-great-grandmother of Paris Hilton and Nicky Hilton.

Her marriage to Frédéric von Anhalt awarded her the title Princess Von Anhalt, Duchess of Saxony. The legitimacy of this title is strongly questioned by many royal genealogists.

In 1993, she and her husband were commanded, by a judge, to pay $2,000,000 to actress, Elke Sommer, because of false accusations that they had spoken of Elke.

Miss Hungary of 1936.

Once replaced five-time Tony Award winner, Julie Harris, on Broadway.

Appeared as "Minerva", the glamorous owner of a mineral spa, in the last episode, "Batman: Minerva, Mayhem and Millionaires (#3.26)" (1968), of "Batman" (1966).

[27 November 2002] In an automobile accident in Los Angeles, which left her in a coma for a short time, and, subsequently paralyzed. She was a passenger riding in a vehicle that struck a light pole on Sunset Boulevard.

Inducted into the B-Movie Hall of Fame, October 26, 2004.

[7 July 2005] Suffered a stroke at her Bel-Air home and underwent emergency surgery to clear a blocked artery.

Campaigned in 1968 and 1972 for Richard Nixon, who she described as "the most intelligent President of our time".

She and her famous sisters have racked up a total of 18 divorces (so far).

Once held up an episode of "The New Hollywood Squares" (1986) for about 45 minutes after breaking a fingernail.

She and her sister Magda Gabor were both married to George Sanders.

Strong doubts have been raised about her claim to the title of a German princess through her marriage to Prince Frédéric von Anhalt. Frederic's father, a policeman and commoner, paid elderly aristocrat Princess Marie-Auguste von Anhalt, daughter-in-law of Kaiser Wilhelm II, a considerable amount of money to adopt his son. Old European royalty does not recognize his title. Zsa Zsa's husband's real name is Hans Robert Lichtenberg. Prince or not, he does have the distinction of being married to her for longer than any of her previous spouses.

Together with her husband Frédéric von Anhalt she adopted a few men. Among them are Marcus Eberhard Edward Prinz von Anhalt, Herzog zu Sachsen und Westfalen, Graf von Askanien (formerly known as Marcus Eberhardt, born about 1969, brothel owner, was adopted in April 2006); Prinz Oliver Leopold von Sachsen-Anhalt, Graf von Westfalen und Askanien (formerly known as Oliver Bendig, born about 1967, owner of two strip clubs in Los Angeles); Prinz Michael Maximilian von Anhalt, Herzog zu Sachsen und Westfalen, Graf von Askanien (formerly known as Michael Killer, born about 1967, owns health clubs); and a surgeon who doesn't want to be mentioned. All of them paid millions for their adoption.

Was considered for the role of Miss Caswell in All About Eve (1950), but Marilyn Monroe was cast in the part instead.

Hospitalized for six days with influenza in June 2009.

Referenced in the song "Donna The Prima Donna" by Dion DiMucci and Ernie Maresca.

Had a very-public romance with Porfirio Rubirosa while married to George Sanders. Rubirosa returned to Gabor after divorcing Barbara Hutton, just 53 days after their wedding. In 1954, Gabor sported an eye patch, telling the press that Rubirosa had hit her in a fit of jealous rage.

Recovering from hip replacement surgery after falling from her bed and breaking her hip at her home in Bel Air, California on July 17, 2010.

Her right leg was amputated on January 14, 2011.

She is one of only 9 actors to have played "Special Guest Villains" in "Batman" (1966) who are still alive, the others being Malachi Throne, Julie Newmar, John Astin, Eli Wallach, Joan Collins, Glynis Johns, Barbara Rush and Dina Merrill.

Both she and her third husband, George Sanders have acted as "Special Guest Villains" in "Batman" (1966).

She become a mother, as Francesca Hilton, was born on Monday, March 10th, 1947, with her second husband, Conrad Hilton being Francesca's father.

Personal Quotes

To be loved is a strength. To love is a weakness.

A man in love is incomplete until he is married. Then he is finished.

As a woman, you have to choose between your fanny or your face. I chose my face.

I have never hated a man enough to give his diamonds back.

[when asked how many husbands she'd had] You mean other than my own?

To a smart girl men are no problem - they're the answer.

Macho does not prove mucho.

Husbands are like fires. They go out if unattended.

I am a marvelous housekeeper. Every time I leave a man I keep his house.

Getting divorced just because you don't love a man is almost as silly as getting married just because you do.

I don't remember anybody's name. How do you think the "dahling" thing got started?

Conrad Hilton was very generous to me in the divorce settlement. He gave me 5,000 Gideon Bibles.

A girl must marry for love, and keep on marrying until she finds it.

You just cannot drive a Rolls-Royce in Beverly Hills anymore because they have it in for you.

[as quoted in the book "The Humor of Sex"] Personally, I know nothing about sex because I've always been married.

It's never as easy to keep your own spouse happy as it is to make someone else's spouse happy.

I believe in large families: every woman should have at least three husbands.

[on Cary Grant] They are trying to show he's a great lover, but they'll never prove it to me.

Being jealous of a beautiful woman is not going to make you more beautiful.

If they had as much adultery going on in New York as they said in the divorce courts, they would never have a chance to make the beds at the Plaza.

The only place men want depth in a woman is in her décolletage.

You never really know a man until you have divorced him.

[on solitude] When I'm alone, I can sleep cross ways in bed without an argument.

When you are married to an actor, you feel you are nothing but an understudy to him. He only has eyes for himself. It is really the one situation I know of where, with just two people you have a triangle.

Salary

The Girl in the Kremlin (1957)

$10,000

Where Are They Now

(September 2004) Reported to be living at a luxury suite in the Motion Picture and Television Hospital in California's Woodland Hills.

(June 2005) Living with, and cared for by, her husband at their home in Bel Air (a property once owned by Elvis Presley).
( Totally quoted from imbd.com)