Saturday, January 31, 2009

Childproofing basics

Kimberlee Mitchell is on a mission to make homes safe for little ones. Disappointed with the limited resources she found to protect her own children around her home, this former journalist took matters in her own hands. In 2001 she launched her own child safety company, Boo Boo Busters. Kimberlee is a committee member of the International Association for Child Safety.


Friday, January 30, 2009

Farley, Britain's first outdoor nursery school

A nursery school where children spend 90% of the time (even in winter) outdoors, exploring and learning by doing things.

You can read a newspaper article and watch a video from its website to know more about it:



http://www.farleynurseryschool.com/video_award.htm

http://www.farleynurseryschool.com/index.htm

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Urban Freeflow - Tea running (a funny Parkour commercial)



RIGHT SAID FRED (Performed by Bernard Cribbins)

Right said Fred, both of us together, one each end and steady as we go
Tried to to shift it, couldn't even lift it, we was getting nowhere
And so, we, had a cup of tea
Right said Fred, give a shout to Charlie, up comes Charlie from the floor below
After straining, heaving and complaining, we was getting nowhere
And so, we, had a cup of tea
Charlie had a think and he thought we ought to take off all the handles
And the things that held the candles - but it did no good (well I never thought it would!)
Right said Fred, have to take the feet off, to get them feet off wouldn't take a mo...
Took its feet off, even took the seat off, should have got us somewhere, but no!
So Fred said let's have another cup of tea, and we said "right-oh!"

NOTES
The song is about 3 piano movers trying to move a piano!
heave = raise, lift
strain = pull
mo = moment
right-oh! = an expression of cheerful agreement

Million Dollar Baby: Behind The Scenes




Trailer

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

National Geographic - Global warming

Climate change






LYRICS

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,

and I say it's all right

Little darling, it feels like ice is slowly melting

Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,

and I say it's all right

It's all right

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Word of the week 26 January - 1 February 2009 BOOMERANG KID

A boomerang kid is an adult child who returns home to live with his or her parents after being away for some time.

Though many students only stay for a few months, others linger at home even after they are on their feet financially. They are attracted by a room of their own, a regular allowance (pocket money), and eager-to-help parents who are welcoming their "boomerangers" — as they are being called — back to the nest.

A similar term is kipper (an acronym of Kids In Parents' Pockets Eroding Retirement Savings), an adult son or daughter, particularly one aged 30 or more, who still lives with his or her parents.



Thursday, January 22, 2009

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Tom Lehrer - LY song

Don't play this song too loudly and listen carefully. I hope you understand the lyrics easily because Tom Lehrer pronounces very clearly.



This is LY, it's spelt L Y and it's very useful. Let me show you:

You're wearing your squeaky shoes
And right there taking a snooze
Is a tiger, so how do you walk on by?
Silently ... silently ... silent ... l-y

You're a secret agent man
Who's after the secret plan
How do you act so they dont know you're as spy?
Normally ... normally ... normal ... l-y

At an eating contest you boast
That you can eat the most
How do you down your fiftieth piece of pie?
Eagerly ... eagerly ... eager ... l-y

On the lake your boat upset
And your clothes got soaking wet
How do you stand and wait for them to dry?
D-d-d-d-d patiently ... d-d-d-d-d patiently ... patient ... l-y

In the public library
You fall and you hurt your knee
But the sign says quiet please, so how can you cry?
Quietly .... quietly .... quiet ... l-y

As you walk along the street
A porcupine you meet
How do you shake his hand when he says hi?
Carefully ... carefully .... careful ... l-y

You enter a very dark room
And sitting there in the gloom
Is dracula! now how do you say goodbye?
Immediately ... immediately ... immediate ... l-y

The position of adverbs in Obama's inauguration

Separated by a Bible used by Abraham Lincoln at his first inaugural, Roberts asked Obama: "Are you prepared to take the oath, senator?" The former Illinois senator indicated he was, and Roberts started reciting — and Obama repeating — the 35-word oath that is prescribed by the Constitution.

The presidential oath comes directly from the Constitution. It says: "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

When Chief Justice Roberts administered the oath, he misplaced the word "faithfully." The second clause as read by Roberts became, "that I will execute the office to the president of the United States faithfully. . . ."

Roberts tried to correct himself, but he still got it slightly wrong, saying, "faithfully the office of the president of the United States. . . ." Repeating the chief justice's original but flawed version, Obama said, "the office of president of the United States faithfully. . .

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Obama is sworn in as the 44th president of the US


Here's the transcript:
ROBERTS: Are you prepared to take the oath, Senator?
OBAMA: I am.
ROBERTS: I, Barack Hussein Obama...
OBAMA: I, Barack...
ROBERTS: ... do solemnly swear...
OBAMA: I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear...
ROBERTS: ... that I will execute the office of president to the United States faithfully...
OBAMA: ... that I will execute...
ROBERTS: ... faithfully the office of president of the United States...
OBAMA: ... the office of president of the United States faithfully...
ROBERTS: ... and will to the best of my ability...
OBAMA: ... and will to the best of my ability...
ROBERTS: ... preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
OBAMA: ... preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
ROBERTS: So help you God?
OBAMA: So help me God.
ROBERTS: Congratulations, Mr. President.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Word of the week 19 - 25 January 2009 PHISHING

The criminal activity of persuading people to give personal information such as account numbers, passwords and credit card details by directing them to a fake website which has been made to look exactly the same as the website of a legitimate bank or other organisation.


Typically, emails are used as "bait" (= cebo) in order to get the potential victim to visit the fake website. The emails use various stratagems to trick readers into clicking on the included links, thereby opening the bogus website. Information submitted on these bogus websites may then be used to steal funds from the user's accounts and/or steal the victim's identity.

T
he term phishing has been around in computer hacker culture since the mid-nineties, where it originally referred more generally to the practice of acquiring password information in order to infringe security barriers. Its use specifically in the context of internet-based financial crimes is more recent. The word is derived from a deliberate misspelling of fish in its verbal sense of trying to obtain information.



Saturday, January 17, 2009

Captain Sullenberger: the hero of the Hudson

Catherine Tate - Lauren Cooper at school

Lauren Cooper is a fictional character in The Catherine Tate Show. She is a comprehensive school student with a surly attitude and was most widely known for her phrase "Am I bovvered?" (i.e. bothered - the "v" in the word takes the place of the "th" that should be there). When feeling angry or embarrassed, she frequently replies with defensive responses such as "Am I bovvered?", "Do I look bovvered?" or "Are you disrespecting me?", among others.

Both the physical appearance and the behaviour of Lauren and her friends are mock stereotypes of the Chav subculture. If you don't know what chav means, look it up here: http://self-learning-eoicoruna.blogspot.com/2008/10/word-of-week-27-october-2-november-2008.html

Despite Lauren's blatant disregard for authority, and chav-like demeanour, she sometimes shows surprising intelligence. She is well-versed in the Periodic Table, she apparently knows Shakespeare and she is fluent in French (once surprising her French teacher by asking her "Regardez mon visage. Suis-je bovvered? Est-ce que vous appelez ma mère une Pikey?"), although she refuses to speak it for an oral exam.

In 2006 Tate's catchphrase "bovvered" was named Word of the Year and was poised to enter the Oxford English Dictionary. A spokesperson for the OED commented: 'Am I bovvered?' and its follow-up, 'Does my face look bovvered?' had already come to be seen as the perfect expression of a generation of teenagers and their speaking style."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2006/oct/12/bovveredwinsw1


Some notes to help you understand the two sketches:

French teacher



English teacher

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Winners of the mini saga competition: UPDATED WITH A NEW WINNER!!!

Since 1988 the Telegraph newspaper has organized a ‘mini saga’ competition. A mini saga is a very short story and it was invented by the well known science-fiction writer Brain Aldiss. He was working on a very long novel at the time (three volumes) and he suddenly had the idea that it might be fun, as a complete contrast, to try to tell a whole story in just 50 words.

The name is really a joke. Originally, sagas were long stories of dramatic events over many generations told by Norse and Icelandic peoples. They were probably started to provide entertainment around the fire during the long winter nights in those countries. Today we gather round the television and watch soap operas that tell long stories of dramatic events over many generations.

The rules of the competition are simple. The text must be 50 words exactly and it must tell a story. The title is very important too so the rule is that any title can be up to fifteen words long. The limitation of fifty words means that the mini saga writer needs to think very imaginatively about just which words are really necessary to tell the story.


And here are the winners of the first mini saga competition at the EOI Coruña. Congratulations to the winners and thanks to all the students who participated.

TEACHER CONCHI - AVANZADO 1 - 18:00 - 20:00 P.M.

WINNER: THE LIE - By Raquel Graña Liste

Five years behaving impeccably and never got what he wanted. Time to be bad instead. He ran into the room where the Three Wise Men always left his presents, checked the glasses prepared for them were empty and grinned. Mum and dad looked pale and sick. He suddenly understood everything.


TEACHER IRMA - AVANZADO 1 - 18:00 - 20:00 P.M.

WINNER: UNTITLED - By Diego Álvarez Estévez

Walking through the desert a man found a lamp. A genius appeared: “For me, nothing is too big: a second for me is an eternity for you; a cent for me is a fortune for you”. “I’m not ambitious, give me only one cent”. “Wait a second” –said the genius.

2nd BEST: THE LAST PAIN - By David Martínez Rego

A doctor enters a room and tells his patient: “Today I’m going to discharge you. During the next months, you can’t smoke or drink at all, have love affairs with beautiful ladies or go on holiday”. “Until I get totally recovered?” “No sir, until you pay all you owe us.”


3rd BEST: THE MAGIC SOUP! - By PILCAS

- I hate soup! he told his mother.

- But Matthew, if you don’t eat soup, you’ll never become a big boy! his mother replied.

One day, they were both waiting for the bus when Matthew saw a little dwarf.

- Mum, that man didn’t eat soup!, he said gladly.



TEACHER MARITA - AVANZADO 1 - 09:00 - 11:00 A.M.

WINNER: UNTITLED - By Anxela Pérez Illobre

Last year we visited the Botany Garden. When we arrived at the greenhouse it was incredibly dark outside. Suddenly we heard some strange noise in the darkness and we started to shout when an old man came to me and said: "Hey, guys, don't you know we close at five??"

2nd BEST: REVENGE IS SWEET - By Diana Murciano

Yesterday afternoon, when I brought home a sweet kitty that I found on the street, my little dog got extremely furious, so I had to punish him. But now the cat is sleeping quietly and there's a suspicious red spot on the floor... and I can't find my little dog.



TEACHER MARITA - AVANZADO 1 - 16:00 - 18:00 P.M.

WINNER: A HOLIDAY ROMANCE - By Alba Cabarcos

Someone's knocking at the door.

- That's my boyfriend! Susan, can you open? I'm getting changed!'

- 'Ok, mum, but... I didn't know you had a boyfriend!'

- 'I met him in the chat you recommended. He's tall with brown hair and green eyes'

- 'Like my ex!'

Susan opened the door.

- 'Bob???'

- 'Susan???'

2nd BEST (ex aequo): REVENGE IS SWEET By David Calvo

Two years looking for the most delicious recipe. Five months waiting for the finest cocoa to arrive from Brazil. Three weeks designing the most spectacular shape. Four days inventing excuses to make him come home. But, after the first bite, just seconds to the poisoned chocolate death... revenge... sweet revenge...

2nd BEST (ex aequo): PARIS THE CITY OF LOVE - By Irene Rodríguez Barbeito

He looked right into her eyes and said: “Hi, it must be true that Paris is the city of love”. She could answer it was love at first sight, everything she'd always dreamt about. But suddenly, a girl called him. It was his wife. Unfortunately, they were on their honeymoon.



TEACHER NURIA - AVANZADO 1 - 10:00 - 12:00 A.M.

WINNER: WHAT A PITY - By Eve

Our first meeting was a long time ago. Since then, we have been together in the best moments, trying to share the best of ourselves with our friends , selecting the most appropriate in every event. But now, unfortunately, because of my health, I must leave you. " Bye bye Red Wine ".

2nd BEST: THE IGNORANT - By Drake

Unfortunately, the person with whom it's more difficult to argue is the ignorant, because instead of reasoning he turns around a fixed idea in his mind from which it's impossible to take him. I say: You're such a donkey you don't walk on four legs because you don't know how.



TEACHER NURIA - AVANZADO 1 - 12:00 - 14:00 P.M.

WINNER: NEVER AGAIN - Paula Auster

Odd was old and about to die. People have been teasing me my whole life because of my funny name. I don’t want them doing it after my death so I don’t want my name printed on my tombstone’. Odd died, people saw his blank tombstone and said: ‘That’s odd!’


2nd BEST: A LIE - By Willy Wonka

Please read this! This is absolutely true! My best friend told me that if you cook 24 cookies and give them to Pablo, you will win a secret prize. Otherwise you won’t have sex in 7 years and your email account will be cancelled. I will do it right away!


Saturday, January 10, 2009

Word of the week 12 - 18 January 2009 COPE

To succeed in dealing with a difficult problem or situation.

Synonyms: handle, manage

  • intransitive

The tyres on my car don't cope very well on wet roads.

He had so much pressure on him in his job that eventually he just couldn't cope.

  • transitive (cope with)

She feared she wouldn't be able to cope with two new babies.

Local authorities have to cope with the problems of homelessness.

No system is designed to cope with the floods we have had this year.


My computer can cope with huge amounts of data.


Ricky Martin's Flight Simulator Experience


Monty Python - Court Charades




court - Visual Dictionary Online

Monty Python - Mass Murder Case

Subtitled in Spanish:


Without subtitles:


The script:

Creative justice

  • Woman Ordered To Spend Night In Woods ARTICLE AND VIDEO
http://www.newsnet5.com/news/5346814/detail.html
  • Judge Cicconetti talks about why he sentenced a woman to stay in the woods VIDEO

http://www.newsnet5.com/video/5391350/index.html

  • Man Sentenced To Spend Christmas With Vets ARTICLE AND VIDEO

http://www.newsnet5.com/news/5590332/detail.html

  • Woman Apologizes With Pennies At Church ARTICLE AND PHOTOS
http://www.newsnet5.com/news/17414132/detail.html
  • Man Sentenced To Stand On Corner With Pig ARTICLE

http://www.newsnet5.com/sh/news/stories/archive/nat-news-archive-151790420020618-110620.html

Lily Allen - LDN






GLOSSARY

LDN
Mobile phone text language for London

THE FILTH a slang term for the police

FELLA a slang term for a man

DAPPER a slang term meaning stylish, well dressed

SLAPPER a slang term for a woman who has a lot of sexual partners

PIMP a man who controls prostitutes and lives on the money that they earn

CRACK WHORE a slang term for a woman who exchanges sexual favours for drugs

FROWN to make a serious, angry or worried expression by bringing your eyebrows closer together

STRUGGLING having difficulty with

TESCO the name of a supermarket

AL FRESCO outside


EXPLANATIONS

The video opens with Allen in a record store called "Tough Grade" which is a play on Rough Trade, a record store in London at Talbot & Portobello Road. She asks the store manager for an eclectic piece of music, satirising keywords that have been used to describe her album - "punky electronica.. kind of grime....kind of like...new-wave grime...but kind of maybe like more broken beats, but kinda dubby broken beats...but a little bit kind of soulful....but kind of drum'n'bassy, but kinda more broken drum'n'bass like more broken beats. but break beat kind of broken drum'n'bass. Kind of.... ". The song playing in the background is Lily Allen's "Friend of Mine".

She receives a phone call, from someone we assume is her boyfriend, and arranges to meet him. She walks out of the store and walks through the downtown of London. While she walks through the street, she leaves a glowing trail of light behind her, in technicolor-like hues, and the town's atmosphere looks pleasant, fun and happy - however, as Allen moves forward the "reality" kicks in, as the scenery behind the hue transforms in sharp contrast in what it had been before, portraying litter, homelessness (David Beckham features in the video as the homeless man that Lily hands the pink flyer to) and violent crime in London, and the technicolour is washed out .

The video ends with Allen receiving another phone call; her boyfriend has decided not to come. Angry and unhappy, she storms away, and the vivid colour disappears to reveal the duller, more depressing reality of her surroundings.




Friday, January 9, 2009

Ralph McTell - Streets of London

Ralph McTell singing The Streets of London in the 70s

Ralph McTell in a recent interview about this song:

Ralph McTell's Streets Of London has topped a Time Out poll of the capital's 50 all-time favourite tracks, with The Kinks' Waterloo Sunset a close second.

But few know that McTell's poignant story of post-war poverty, drugs and love was first called The Streets Of Paris.

He explained: "When I was a busker in Paris in 1965 there were a lot of impoverished people sat over the hot-air gratings in the Metro and I formed this idea of writing a song about those people.

But then I thought, 'Wait a minute, these images are everywhere', so I wrote it as Streets Of London to a tune that I'd already composed."

You can read more here:

http://www.timeout.com/london/music/features/2026.html


Monday, January 5, 2009

Now That's What I Call A Credit Crunch

Do you remember "credit crunch"? It was one of the first Words of the Week in this blog:
http://self-learning-eoicoruna.blogspot.com/2008/11/words-of-week-3-9-november-credit.html


Some musicians have found inspiration in the financial crisis.

The Credit Crunch Song
After losing his job, car and having his house repossessed, Alex
Yeoman (Antan Debt and the Overdrafts) finds himself wandering the street begging for change and wearing a torn shabby suit.


Credit Crunch Anthem
Gordon Brown and George Bush hand-in-hand


Wall Street Shuffle
This 10cc classic may have originally been released in 1974 but listening to the lyrics they could have been written yesterday.


Lyrics | 10cc - Wall Street Shuffle lyrics

Uncle Jay Explains: Year-end review with a little music


Thanks, Conchi ;-)