miércoles, 30 de octubre de 2013

Amy Cuddy: Your body language shapes what you are

As there's going to be a long weekend, I'd like you to watch this interesting video where Amy Caddy talks about body language.
Once you've watched it, answer the questions you have below, please.


 




Answer the following questions on the Amy Cuddy TED talk ‘Your body language shapes who you are’

  1. What is her job?

  1. What are the two aspects of non-verbals that most interest her?

  1. What do people do to show power?

  1. What do people do when they feel powerless?

  1. What aspect of the course is very important for MBA students for their grades?

  1. What is the example she gives as being the worst of low-power poses?

  1. What happened to her when she was 19?

  1. What two things happened as a result of this?

  1. How did she feel when she was taken on at Princeton?

  1. What two things did she realise when her students came to her office?

 And now think about these 2 topics to discuss in class:


Our minds change our bodies but can our bodies change our minds? Have you ever tried this?

Talk about what you found interesting in this talk
 


martes, 29 de octubre de 2013

Sensitive?

After the debate held in class last night, I'd like to copy here a couple of definitions provided by Longman Contemporary English Dictionary.
As you can see, more tan one meaning is possible so we simply have to take the context into account to choose one or another.








 

viernes, 18 de octubre de 2013

The Reluctant Fundamentalist, by Mohsin Hamid





Dear new students,

This is the first book we are going to read and analyse this course. Try to get a copy as soon as possible to make sure we can all begin to ready it at the same time. There is a cheap Penguin copy, but any editorial will be ok. I hope you find it without any difficulty.



viernes, 11 de octubre de 2013

Seoul government’s giant ear sculpture actually listens to the public’s opinion

Yobosayo is a large sculpture that records the opinions of passersby and relays it over speakers in City Hall.
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In a true democracy every citizen has a voice, but it can be the case that many don’t feel like politicians actually listen to it. In order to promote itself as open to what the public has to say, the Seoul government has installed Yobosayo – a large, ear-shaped sculpture that records the opinions of passersby and relays it over speakers in City Hall.
Designed by artist Yang Soo-in, the sculpture’s title means ‘Hello?’ in Korean and is situated outside City Hall, where disgruntled citizens would normally head to lodge a formal civic complaint by filling out a form. Instead, the big ear sounds a message when someone walks past, inviting them to leave a message for officials. Passersby can lean into the sculpture to offer criticism or praise of the government’s services, their opinions on current political events or even just air their thoughts. Whatever they have to say is recorded by a microphone located inside the ear and each message is then relayed through speakers located around City Hall. Sensors on each speaker detect how many officials are listening at the time and the soundbites that attract the biggest audience are saved for posterity – hopefully for authorities to take into consideration.
We’ve seen how Textizen in the US has been using community noticeboards and text replies to gather the views of the public, and this is another project that empowers members of the community. The project acts both as a public art installation and a quirky, engaging way for those sole voices to be heard – literally. How else can governments instil confidence that they really do serve the people by giving them a platform for direct communication with representatives?
Website: www.lifethings.in

jueves, 10 de octubre de 2013

This piece of wearable tech will help basketballers shoot more hoops

Vibrado is a wearable sleeve that can tell players where they’re going wrong with their hoop shoots.
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United States9th October 2013 in Lifestyle & Leisure.
Getting into the NBA requires more than just skill – it takes a lot of dedication, passion and creativity. However, having a little help in the skill department can’t be a bad thing. Vibrado is a wearable sleeve that can tell players where they’re going wrong with their hoop shoots.
Looking much like the sleeves already worn by professionals such as LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, the Vibrado differs in that it is fitted with accelerometers that can detect the exact angle, arc and momentum of the arm as the wearer goes for a shot. The sleeve also features lights and beepers that instantly make players aware when they’ve made a mistake. If they have, they can then check their smartphone to get more detailed stats on how their technique compares to the ideal movements required for each shot. The video below from New Scientist explains more about the innovation:
Although it can’t guarantee to turn any player into a professional baller, the Vibrado could help both amateurs and NBA stars to refine their game by receiving quick and accurate feedback on their play. With wearable tech becoming an industry in itself, could we see this kind of thing pop up in sports across the board?
Website: www.vibradotech.com

lunes, 7 de octubre de 2013

American Government Shutdown



This is a very interesting video about the political situation in the USA. She explains the American Government shutdown to a kid. It'll make it easier to us to understand it!