Taka  +  46966 Thu, 23 Sep 04 04:06 PM The sentence: ------ Despite the media's tendency to leap from one fashionable cause to the next (from world hunger to AIDS to the environment), it would be narrow-minded to deny their part in increasing environmental awareness. ------ What does "cause" mean here? Contextually, I think it's almost the same as "topic" or the like, but I don't find such entry in my dictionary... Taka Joined on Tue, Sep 7 2004 Japan Senior Member 2,625

	anon1  +  46990 Thu, 23 Sep 04 06:12 PM Taka, Cause used in your sentence is The interests of a person or group engaged in a struggle: “The cause of America is in great measure the cause of all mankind” (Thomas Paine). The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Hunger is a cause. AIDS is cause. Breast Cancer Research is a cause. They are all worthy causes. These are issues where many people have mobilized their efforts to rally support through either volunteer activity or through raising money for research and medication. Hope that helps. MountainHiker anon1 Joined on Fri, Jul 2 2004 Senior Member 2,049

	Taka  +  46998 Thu, 23 Sep 04 07:10 PM I've checked the American Heritage, and I think this entry of it works better:" a subject under debate or discussion." IMO, AIDS is not really some sort of movements, is it...? What do you think? Taka

	anon1  +  47010 Thu, 23 Sep 04 08:40 PM Taka, I disagree. AIDS is a movement. Just ask Bono of U2. What about the huge charity drives to raise money for drugs in Africa, and the lobbying of the US and Canada and other industrialized nations to provide more relief for AIDS sufferers in Africa? Or what about the intense lobbying of pharmaceutical companies. Or what about Bill Gates doing his part to relieve AIDS in India? I think it is definitely a cause, or a movement. Hope that helps. MountainHiker anon1 Tenses