November 2008

Small Talk- More than Just Monkey Business

by Richard Brooks November 21, 2008 Languages

For most primates, grooming is the number-one social behaviour. We’ve all seen nature shows on TV that show a band of chimps combing through one another’s other’s fur. However, among humans, picking fleas off your neighbour’s scalp is generally considered anti-social behaviour. Instead, we bond by talking, whether it’s about sports, the weather, the news, [...]

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Chicago Red Jackets

by Richard Brooks November 14, 2008 Public Service

The Chicago Tribune reported on Tuesday that 29 “airport customer service representatives” may lose their jobs as part of the City of Chicago’s effort to reduce its spending.

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Lost in Translation

by Richard Brooks November 7, 2008 Publishing

Last month at the Frankfurt Book Fair, one of the largest international literary gatherings, guess what American publishers lined up to buy? Work by other American, or at least British, authors. Apparently, according to the New York Times, large American publishing houses are afraid to buy publishing rights for foreign-language books because they don’t think [...]

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