Do you know anyone who would like to have English lessons?
I can give classes either in my home (Malasaña neighbourhood) or wherever is more convenient for the student. I also give on-line and telephone classes.
Send me a mail for more details; grahammaccy@yahoo.es
Disclaimer
Pictures and Images contained herein are solely for educational and illustration purposes. Most of them are obtained from Google and Yahoo. Please email me regarding copyright and ownership issues so that it will be removed rightaway.
Christmas crackers, also known as bon-bons in Australia, are an integral part of Christmas celebrations in the United Kingdom and in other Commonwealth countries. A cracker consists of a cardboard tube wrapped in a brightly decorated twist of paper, making it resemble an oversized sweet-wrapper. The cracker is pulled by two people, and, much in the manner of a wishbone, the cracker splits unevenly. The split is accompanied by a small bang produced by the effect of friction on a chemically impregnated card strip (similar to that used in a cap gun).
In one version of the tradition the person with the larger portion of cracker empties the contents from the tube and keeps them. In another each person will have their own cracker and will keep its contents regardless ofwhose end they were in. Typically these contents are a coloured paper hat or crown; a small toy or other trinket and a motto, a joke or piece of trivia on a small strip of paper. Crackers are often pulled after Christmas dinner or at parties.
Assembled crackers are typically sold in boxes of three to twelve. These typically have different designs usually with red, green and gold colours. Making crackers from scratchusing the tubes from used toilet rolls and tissue paper is a common commonwealth activity for children.
It is a running joke that all the jokes and mottos in crackers are unfunny and unmemorable, along with being the same as those which have been used for many years past, resulting in most people either knowing or predicting the answers. Similarly, in most standard commercial products, the "gift" is equally awful, although wealthier individuals - notably, the British Royal Family - may use custom crackers with more expensive rewards. And some people will make their own (typically from kits) and add inexpensive but personalised gifts.
History
Crackers were invented by London confectioner Tom Smith, in 1847, as a development of his bon-bon sweets, which he sold in a twist of paper (the origins of the traditional sweet-wrapper). As sales of bon bons slumped, Smith began to come up with new promotional ideas. His first tactic was to insert mottos into the wrappers of the sweets (cf. Fortune cookies), but this had only limited success.
He was inspired to add the "crackle" element when he heard the crackle of a log he'd just put on the fire. The size of the paper wrapper had to be increased to incorporate the banger mechanism, and the sweet itself was eventually dropped, to be replaced by a small gift. The new product was initially marketed as the Cosaque (i.e., Cossack), but the onomatopoeic "cracker" soon became the commonly used name, as rival varieties were introduced to the market. The other elements of the modern cracker, the gifts, paper hats and varied designs, were all introduced by Tom Smith's son, Walter Smith, as ways of distinguishing the company from the many copycat cracker manufacturers which had suddenly sprung up.
Source: answers.com
What traditions do you associate with the Christmas holidays?
This is the result of last Thursday's match between Aberdeen and Atletico Madrid. What is your opinion on what happened and on football hooliganism in general?
Have you ever been to an important football match? What was the atmosphere like?
After reading the comments related to an article about the disturbances in Madrid following the Aberdeen - Atleti match, I decided to add some of my own in defence of the Spanish authorities. Many of the contributors had valid points but they only put the blame on the Spanish riot police and the Atleti fans. They didn't criticise any of the Aberdeen fans. Below is a heated discussion between a fellow Scot who lives in Madrid and myself. My nick is ScotInMadrid.
44. Joe Black, Madrid / 1:43pm 1 Dec 2007
Read the Spanish press, and they say the young lassie is the liar.
And that it was the drunken hooligan Scots that started the fighting; spilling drunkenly out of the bars.
Firing flares and throwing bottles and chairs at the Spanish and the Police.
What a Jackanory (slang What a tall story)!
Joe Black, Madrid / 6:16pm 1 Dec 2007
The problem that exists in Spain which is related to this poor girl, is the lack of safety and security by the Police here.
You never really see policeman walking the streets and I think community police don´t even exist. You see plenty of them driving around.
Everytime there´s football trouble the maximum number of arrests can be counted on one hand. More people end up in hospital due to the police tactics than are arrested.
There´s never any segregation neither outside nor inside the ground.
I suppose its because they are so poorly paid. And the beatings with their sticks is a custom they´ve carried on from the dictator Franco times.
75. ScotInMadrid, Madrid / 9:40pm 1 Dec 2007
As a Scot living in Madrid, I feel ashamed at the behaviour of some Aberdeen fans. I knew there would be trouble judging by the state of those that I saw wandering drunkenly around the centre early on Thursday afternoon. Like in Scottish cities, it isn't allowed to drink on the streets in Madrid. You have to respect the country that you visit and not expect them to play by your rules. If you choose to wear the kilt, remember that you are clearly representing Scotland.
After this latest episode, I can't defend the fans of Scots clubs as opposed to English ones. We are most definitely all grouped as hooligans now.
I don't doubt that some police were heavy-handed and some Atletico fans were out for trouble.
It can't be any coincidence however that wherever British clubs play in Europe, there is violence. Then blame is layed at local fans, police and anybody but the visiting fans themselves.
76. Joe Black, Madrid / 10:06pm 1 Dec 2007
#75 Scot In Madrid
Its a shame you cannot be impartial by you statements.
1.The Spanish invented drinking in the streets; illegally its called Botellon and prevalent through out all of Spain especially with students. Legally allowed in the many terrazas esp in summer time.
2.Atletico de Madrid are notorious for their hooliganism in Spain "frente Atletico". Go to any Madrid Derby.
3.And finally you obviously don´t watch Spanish TV to see how the "antidisturbios" (riot police) treat the general public. Get yer heid out o´ the sand.
78. ScotInMadrid, Madrid / 10:59pm 1 Dec 2007
I have lived in Madrid for over six years. I don't need you to explain how life is like here. Like any major city, Madrid has some problems with drunkness; but nothing on the scale of any city or even small town in Scotland at the weekend.
They like their "copas" but don't go picking a fight after they have had a few.
I witnessed the Aberdeen fans that were here for the match. They weren't football hooligans but they showed no respect for the city they were visiting. They were already "blazing" (slang, drunk) by mid-afternoon and falling around the centre; being loud and foul-mouthed.
I have been to matches in the Bernabeu and Calderon. They have their problems and there are incidents from time to time caused by their hooligans.
But there are no problems when either Real Madrid or Atletico fans go abroad. Why is it that the majority of trouble is caused by visiting British clubs?
And you are also wrong in your assumption that I don't follow events in the Spanish media. I repeat that there are police who are heavy-handed but on the whole they only hit out when provoked.
It would be sensible for any innocent by-standerat the first hint of trouble to distance themselves from the area immediately. But as most visiting fans were "stotting"(slang, very drunk) well before the match, they were incapable of doing that.
I am surprised that you live in Spain. It sounds to me as if you still need to adapt to the Spanish way of life. If you can't do that, you should return home!
79. Joe Black, Madrid / 11:10pm 1 Dec 2007
I´ve been in Spain for over twenty years, but at least I´m objective and can see both sides.
True Spanish supporters generally do not travel not even in Spain, and abroad its generally too expensive.
80. Joe Black, Madrid / 11:14pm 1 Dec 2007
I´ve seen Spaniards having botellons out of the back of their cars annoying the whole barrio and then jumping in their car totally drunk and driving away.
And when the president of our community called the police, they did nothing.
As say get real.
81. ScotInMadrid, Madrid / 11:26pm 1 Dec 2007
Reading through your previous comments I can't find any objectivity; just a sense of anti-Spanish. Surprising coming from someone who has lived here for so long. It must have been 20 years of suffering if you hold such opinions.
I saw the visiting fans and believe me, they were a disgrace to our country. Spaniards generally hold Scotland in high regard but behaviour such as I witnessed will possibly change that.
82. Joe Black, Madrid / 11:28pm 1 Dec 2007
# 78As you´ve only lived in Madrid for short time, you don´t how badly it has changed over the time I´ve lived here.
Shootings with columbians, latin gang fights, prostitutes annoying normal people in day light hours.
The Madrid of over ten years ago was a much safer place. Now its turning into a very violent city, with places that even the police are afraid to go to.
Though not everything is bad, its just like any modern cosmopolitan city; with the good and bad, as in Glasgow or Edinburgh.
I like Spain and Madrid; THIS is my home.
Try to open your eyes.
83. Joe Black, Madrid / 11:37pm 1 Dec 2007
Reading your comments you seem to be anti Scottish, its not surprising you left your homeland as you seem to be embarrassed to be a Scot ( in madrid)
You seem to think everybody in Scotland are drunks and foul mouthed drunks.
Your a sad case.
84. ScotInMadrid, Madrid / 11:54pm 1 Dec 2007
I agree with you about some of the problems that Madrid has but compared to other cites (even smaller ones such as Glasgow) it is a relatively safe city. Living here for so long you will know how many neighbourhoods in the city centre have changed for the better.
In the "short time" (6.5years) that I have lived in Madrid, I have accepted and love the way of life here. The madrileños are very welcoming and on the whole friendly. It isn't perfect here but I am not going to become one of those moaning "guiris" (foreigners).
Returning to the trouble that occurred, I know there were police who lashed out and "atleti" that were fighting. However my eyes WERE open on Thursday afternoon when I saw drunken Aberdeen louts disturbing families in a busy shopping area. I predicted there would be trouble ahead.
My head most certainly isn't in the sand and my eyes are open to what is going on around me. Are yours?
85. ScotInMadrid, Madrid / 12:05am 2 Dec 2007
I am VERY proud to be a Scot. I have a kilt and get drunk but I don't go around bothering others. I love talking about my country to all I meet. It makes me sad, when the likes I witnessed here in Madrid (admittedly a minority), create bad publicity for the country.
I love Scotland and I love Spain and the Spaniards.
If you are looking for a sad case, it seems you just need to look in the mirror.
86. ScotInMadrid, Madrid / 12:08am 2 Dec 2007
PS It's YOU ARE / YOU'RE (not YOUR) a sad case.
Seems that you need to brush up on your English too!
Joe Black responded by calling me SnobInMadrid. I reported the comment as unsuitable and it was removed!
Source: The Scotsman
What is your opinion on football fans? Do you agree with the comments about the Spanish police? What do you think the solution is to football related violence?
This is the National Anthem of Scotland sung by a duo called The Corries. Read the lyrics below.
What do you think of it? Do you like it?
The video is from a memorable rugby match in 1990. It was the deciding match between Scotland and England.
The arrogant English didn't think us Scots had a chance of winning. We soon showed them and they went back to their country with their tail between their legs.
When will they ever learn?!
I love the bit when the rugby players start singing the anthem to the sound of the bagpipes. I always get goosebumps.
The national flower of Scotland is the thistle. Why is an ugly person referred to as "cardo" when it actually is a beautiful flower?!
Have you ever had to complain to a business about something? What was it about and did you reach a satsfactory conclusion?
Apart from my ongoing battle with British Airways, I have had to make a fresh complaint; this time to the Holiday Gym.
It is reasonably priced compared to most other gyms. I find it convenient because it is a chain, there are eight or so gyms and members can go to any one of them. My classes are also spread across the city and this means I can work out at the nearest gym straight after the lesson. It is open from early in the morning until late in the evening and it is also open on holidays.
As with most gyms, it has its peak times when it is crowded and you have to wait to use a machine.
I have been going for four years.
The trouble is that you now have to pay for the whole year all at once. When I first started I actually paid for two years in advance. I paid something like 890 Euros, in three installments, over the first three months. Two years later I paid about 400 Euros. I actually made that payment a few months in advance.
Now the annual payment has dropped to 390 Euros. The amount is automatically deducted from your bank account. This is done 45 days before your membershipis due to expire. So if you don't intend to carry ongoing to the gym, you have to inform them well in advance. Unlike with other bills, such as the one for the mobile phone, you don't receive any letter warning you when and how much you have to pay.
One day the card that I use to enter the gym didn't let me in, so I went to the girl at reception. After looking up my details on the computer, she told me that my bank had refused to pay them.
I was short of money as always but I thought I had enough money in my account. I have two bank accounts; one where I deposit my wages and the other where I try to save money for a rainy day. I thought that the bank deducted money from "wages" account but in fact, it was the other one. And because there have been too many rainy days, there wasn't enough money to pay for the gym.
I thought it shouldn't be a problem to sort out. I would simply have to give them the details of the second account. I was astonished when they asked me to pay 475 Euros, as if I was a new member. That's a difference of 85 Euros and I would have to pay that amount every year from then on.
After speaking to a rude receptionist and getting nowhere, I asked to speak to the manageress. She promised me that she would try her best to sort the problem out. However, she came back with an answer that I didn't want to hear.
I realize that it was my mistake but I find it unfair that I have to pay such a big penalty. As a result I have found a gym close to home where I pay slightly less than the amount the Holiday Gym were asking for. Not only have they lost me as a client; a few of my friends are not going to renew their contract either.
Through sheerstupidity, they are losing much more than they would gain by making me pay more.
One of my friends has already cancelled his membership and made a complaint along with me.
Using my example or one of your own, I'd like you to write an official letter of complaint. Or alternatively, relate an occassion when you had to complain. Did you get a satisfactory outcome?
Today is also the wedding anniversary Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. This is how the BBC recounts the celebration held yesterday:
The Queen and Prince Philip have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with a service which featured a reading from Prince William.
Prayers were said and the Archbishop of Canterbury asked the couple, in a blessing, to "renew in your hearts promises you made to one another".
More than 30 family members were among 2,000 people at Westminster Abbey.
Other guests included five choristers from the 1947 service, as well as 10 couples who married on the same day.
The service was also watched by Prime Minister Gordon Brown as well as his predecessors John Major and Baroness Thatcher.
The Queen is the first British monarch to reach a diamond wedding anniversary.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, said in his sermon that every marriage was a public event but that "some couples have to live more than others in the full light of publicity".
"We are probably more aware than ever these days of the pressures this brings," he said.
"But it also means that we can give special thanks for the very public character of the witness and the sign offered to us by this marriage and what it has meant to nation and Commonwealth over the decades."
During prayers, the congregation was asked to pray "for Her Majesty and His Royal Highness - for their life together as husband and wife".
Prince William, in his reading of 1 John 4:7-16, told the congregation to "let us love one another, because love is from God".
Dame Judi Dench read the poem Diamond Wedding - written especially for the occasion by poet laureate Andrew Motion - which speaks of "a life remote from ours because it asked each day, each action to be kept in view".
Psalm setting
There was also a procession of representatives from different religions including the Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh faiths.
As was the case in 1947, a setting by EC Bairstow of Psalm 67 - God Be Merciful Unto Us And Bless Us - was sung by the abbey choir.
Other elements that were at both ceremonies included the performance, at the start of the service, of We Wait For thy Loving Kindness O God, composed for the original ceremony by then-organist Dr William McKie.
Similarly, the hymn The Lord's My Shepherd, set tothe Scottish tune Crimond and chosen by the then-princess for her wedding, was sung.
At the end of the service, Prince Philip and the Queen walked back up the aisle and met 10 couples who were also married on 20 November 1947.
One of the couples, Margaret and Horace Bunn, both aged 80, from Ashington, Northumberland, said meeting the royal couple had been the "icing on the cake".
Mr Bunn told BBC News: "We had a bit of an idea we might meet the Queen but we didn't know it was going to happen.
"But, apparently, it was all planned and kept from us."
His wife added: "We were really looking forward to meeting here and she was so nice."
Maltese Visit
After the service, the royal couple met members of the public who came to Parliament Square to join the celebrations.
On the square's Jubilee Walkway walking trail, the couple unveiled a panoramic panel - created to mark their anniversary - explaining landmarks on the London landscape.
The couple's actual 60th wedding anniversary is on Tuesday when they will travel to Malta where they lived as a young married couple from 1949 to 1951, while Prince Philip was stationed there as a serving Royal Naval officer.
On Sunday, members of the Royal family attended a celebration dinner hosted by Prince Charles at Clarence House.
The 1947 wedding, according to one of the couple's friends, was a moment of "blissful brightness and happiness" after World War II.
The couple received gifts from around the world 60 years ago.
However, BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt says Mahatma Gandhi's present caught the disapproving eye of Queen Mary, Princess Elizabeth's grandmother. She told a friend the piece of hand-spun lace was "indelicate", mistaking the tray cover for the Indian leader's loincloth.
Source: BBC News
Take a look at the BBC"On This Day"page where you can find interesting footage and articles related to events that happened on any particular day in the past. Choose a date that means something to you and look up what happened on that date. Then, in your words, recount the event and your thoughts or memories of it.
General Francisco Franco, who ruled Spain with an authoritarian hand for 39 years, has died at the age of 82.
He had been ill for five weeks and died early this morning at La Paz hospital, Madrid. Doctors said the cause of death was heart failure aggravated by peritonitis.
Flags all around the country are at half-mast and the general's body is now lying in state at the El Pardo Palace.
Franco, also know as the Generalissimo, will be buried next week at the Valley of the Fallen mausoleum.
Forgiveness
The Prime Minister, Carlos Arias Navarro, his voice trembling with emotion, announced the death at 1000 local time on radio.
He said that on his deathbed General Franco had asked his enemies to forgive him.
"I ask pardon of all my enemies, as I pardon with all my heart all those who declared themselves my enemy, although I did not consider them to be so," the general had said.
He also asked the Spanish people to remain loyal to Prince Juan Carlos, his designated successor who will be sworn in as king tomorrow.
In a veiledwarning to resist separatist movements such as the Basque nationalist group ETA, he advised the nation to "keep the lands of Spain united".
General Franco successfully led the Nationalist armies against the Loyalists during the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s, with support from Hitler's Germany and Italy under Mussolini.
Franco allowed Hitler to use Spain's naval bases during World War II, then declared Spain neutral in 1943 when it looked like the Allies would win.
Under Franco Spain has enjoyed stability and relative prosperity, especially after reforms introduced since 1959 that modernised administration and industry.
His regime has also been deeply reactionary, with political parties and non-government trade unions banned, and separatists and communists repressed.
World hopes for democracy
Leaders of European countries have been guarded in their reaction the dictator's death and expressed hope that the new king would introduce modern democracy to Spain.
The European Commission expressed "sympathy and friendship for the people of Spain" and condolences to General Franco's widow.
No western European nation will be sending a head of state to the funeral apart from Monaco.
But staunch supporters in South America, such as President Pinochet of Chile and Bolivia's President Banzer will attend.
In Britain, Labour backbenchers are furious that the government is sending a representative - Lord Shepherd, the Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Lords - to the funeral. Stanley Newens, MP for Harlow, said the decision was "an affront to those who fought and died in the Civil War in Spain in the 1930s".
The king of Spain's recent undiplomatic outburst at the Venezuelan president has become a ringtone hit across Spain.
An estimated 500,000 people have downloaded the insult featuring the words "Why don't you shut up?", generating a reported 1.5m euros (£1m).
King Juan Carlos won plaudits in the media back home.
King Juan Carlos asked Hugo Chavez to "shut up" at a summit in Chile last week after the president said Spain's ex-PM Jose Maria Aznar was a "fascist".
Branded mugs, t-shirts and websites featuring the row are also profitable.
In Venezuela, a group of students who oppose Mr Chavez's government have also been downloading the ringtone, a US newspaper reported.
"It's a form of protest," a 21-year-old student in Caracas told the Miami Herald. "It's something that a lot of people would like to tell the president."
Companies selling the ringtones have avoided legal problems concerning breach of the king's image rights by using an actor to voice the line.
'No crisis'
Thespat began at the Ibero-American Summit in Chile's capital, Santiago, last Saturday when Mr Chavez called former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, a close ally of US President George W Bush, a fascist, adding "fascists are not human. A snake is more human."
Current Spanish PM Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero then said: "[Former Prime Minister] Aznar was democratically elected by the Spanish people and was a legitimate representative of the Spanish people."
When Mr Chavez repeatedly tried to interrupt, the king leaned forward and said: "Why don't you shut up?".
The row escalated when Mr Chavez said the king was "imprudent" and asked if he knew in advance of the 2002 coup against him.
President Chavez later accused the king of "arrogance" but said he did not want a political crisis with Spain - only that Venezuela's head of state be respected.
Spain has said it hopes for a swift return to normal diplomatic relations.
Some things in life are bad,
They can really make you mad,
Other things just make you swear and curse,
When you're chewing on life's gristle,
Don't grumble,
Give a whistle
And this'll help things turn out for the best.
And...
Always look on the bright side of life.[whistle]
Always look on the light side of life.[whistle]
If life seems jollyrotten,
There's something you've forgotten,
And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing.
When you're feeling in the dumps,
Don't be silly chumps.
Just purse your lips and whistle.
That's the thing.
And...
Always look on the bright side of life.[whistle]
Always look on the right side of life,[whistle]
For life is quite absurd
And death's the final word.
You must always face the curtainwith a bow.
Forget about your sin.
Give the audience a grin.
Enjoy it.
It's your last chance, anyhow.
So,...
Always look on the bright side of death,[whistle]
Just before you draw your terminal breath.[whistle]
Life's a piece of shit,
When you look at it.
Life's a laugh and death's a joke it's true.
You'll see it's all a show.
Keep 'em laughing as you go.
Just remember that the last laugh is on you.
And...
Always look on the bright side of life.
Always look on the right side of life.[whistle]
Always look on the bright side of life![whistle]
Always look on the bright side of life! [whistle] Repeat to fade...
Was it lese majeste or just a good laugh? Scurrilous libel or a witty commentary on a topical issue for Spanish parents? A court in Spain has convicted Manel Fontdevila, cartoons editor of the popular satirical weekly magazine El Jueves, and cartoonist "Guillermo" of "damaging the prestige of the crown".
Both men received ahefty 3,000-euro (£2,100) fine.
Their offence was to have published a cartoon last July making ribald fun of the heir to the Spanish throne, and of the government's scheme to encourage women to have more babies by giving mothers a special payment for each new birth.
It was a caricature of Prince Filipe having sex with his wife, Princess Letizia, and telling her: "Do you realise that if you get pregnant, it will be the closest thing to work I've done in my life?"
'More censorship'
The cartoon is funny, but the issue raised by its banning is serious. The episode has worrying echoes of last year's frenzied and violent protests against the cartoons about the Prophet Muhammad printed in European newspapers.
Those cartoonists faced death threats, a number of people died in disturbances around the world, and the end result was a defeat for freedom of expression.
In the Spanish case, censorship of the magazine has already taken place and will not be reversed. Within hours of the cartoon's appearance Spanish judges ordered the seizureof all copies of that edition of the magazine.
This is only one of a growing number of recent cases of media censorship or self-censorship in Europe that have arisen thanks to restrictive laws or monopolistic patterns of media ownership.
Some, like the Spanish case, involve attempts to prosecute journalists for violating laws that give special protection to the most powerful and privileged figures in public life.
In Romania, a law has just been passed which exposes journalists to the risk of seven years in jail if they publish video footage taken secretly of politicians takingbribes. It follows a case in which film of a government minister accepting a secret cash payment was shown on TV, leading to his resignation.
In France, a newspaper expose written during this year's presidential election campaign, revealing that Cecilia Sarkozy - the then wife of winning candidate Nicolas Sarkozy - failed to cast her vote, was removed on orders from the newspaper's owner, a close associate of the new President.
In Turkey, the infamous Article 301 of the criminal code makes it an offence punishable by jail terms to insult the armed forces or those in positions of high office.
Criminal prosecutions
Turkish officials insist that similar laws protecting the holders of high offices of state also exist in France and other Western countries.
But a Turkish legal expert explained the difference: "It's like the laws in some American states that still ban oral sex between married couples", he said. "They exist on paper but are no longer used!"
In Turkey, hundreds of journalists have been prosecuted under Article 301 and similar laws.
Miklos Haraszti is Europe's chief enforcer of media freedom on the governments and courts of the 56 member states of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe).
He says that oppressive laws against the media, intimidation and threats of dismissal, are all being used as weapons to censor the work of journalists in Eastern and Western Europe today.
The latest evidence for thatharsh verdict comes from a Survey of Media Freedom in 20 European states presented to the OSCE's Representative for Media Freedom last weekend. The study, entitled Goodbye to Freedom?, was published by the independent Association of European Journalists.
'Unusable' laws
It finds that within the past year alone, journalists in 18 out of 20 European countries - including would-be models of democracy like Germany, the Netherlands and France - have faced criminal prosecution, or been jailed for breaking various laws that impede them from reporting on matters of public interest. (The two exceptions were the Czech Republic and the UK.)
Yet each year dozens of judgements made by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg overturnthe convictions of journalists on libel or secrecy charges in national courts.
So is it really time for the media in Europe to say "Goodbye to Freedom"? Miklos Haraszti says simply that European governments must not pass laws, like criminal libel for journalists, which are "unusable".
The prosecution and conviction of the cartoonists who published a funny sketch of a Spanish prince to make their viewers laugh has chipped away a bit more from the fragile pillar of media freedom in Europe.
Source: BBC News
I did think about adding the cartoon, which can easily be found on the internet, on this post but I had second thoughts. Would I be fined like the two cartoonists were?
(Picasso recalls his mother's ambitions for him.)
"When I was a child, my mother said to me, 'If you become a soldier, you'll be a general. If you become a monk, you'll end up as Pope.' Instead I became a painter and wound up as Picasso."
Anecdote 2...
In later life Picasso visited an exhibition of children's drawings. He observed, "When I was their age, I could draw like Raphael, but it took me a lifetime to learn to draw like them."
A macho young swimmer named Dwyer,
Really liked playing with fire.
One night in the dark
He swam with a shark,
And his voice is now two octaves higher.
An Irishman named Murphy went to his doctor after a long illness. The doctor, after a lengthy examination, sighed and looked Murphy in the eye and said, "I've some bad news for you... you have cancer and it can't be cured. I'd give you two weeks to a month." Murphy, shocked and saddened by the news, but of solid character, managed to compose himself and walk from the doctor's office into the waiting room. There he saw his son who had been waiting.
Murphy said, "Son, we Irish celebrate when things are good and celebrate when things don't go so well. In this case, things aren't so well. I have cancer and I've been given a short time to live. Let's head for the pub and have a few pints."
After three or four pints the two were feeling a little less somber. There were some laughs and more beers. They were eventually approached by some of Murphy's old friends who asked what the two were celebrating.
Murphy told them that the Irish celebrate the good and the bad... he went on to tell them that they were drinking to his impending end. He told his friends, "I've only got a few weeks to live as I have been diagnosed with AIDS." The friends gave Murphy their condolences and they had a couple more beers.
After his friends left, Murphy's son leaned over and whispered, "Dad, I thought you said that you were dying from cancer. You just told your friends that you were dying from AIDS!" Murphy said,"I am dying from cancer, son, I just don't want any of them sleeping with your mother after I'm gone."
Have you got any jokes to share? Have a look at the examples of puns, limericks, corny jokes etc - which are your favourites?
In 1605, thirteen young men planned to blow upthe Houses of Parliament. Among them was Guy Fawkes, Britain's most notorious traitor.
After Queen Elizabeth I died in 1603, English Catholics who had been persecuted under her rule had hoped that her successor, James I, would be more tolerant of their religion. James I had, after all, had a Catholic mother. Unfortunately, James did not turn out to be more tolerant than Elizabeth and a number of young men, 13 to be exact, decided that violent action was the answer.
A small group took shape, under the leadership of Robert Catesby. Catesby felt that violent action was warranted. Indeed, the thing to do was to blow up the Houses of Parliament. In doing so, they would kill the King, maybe even the Prince of Wales, and the Members of Parliament who were making life difficult for the Catholics. Today these conspirators would be known as extremists, or terrorists.
To carry out their plan, the conspirators got hold of 36 barrels ofgunpowder - and stored them in a cellar, just under the House of Lords.
But as the group worked on the plot, it became clear that innocent people would be hurt or killed in the attack, including some people who even fought for more rights for Catholics. Some of the plotters started having second thoughts. One of the group members even sent an anonymous letter warning his friend, Lord Monteagle, to stay away from the Parliament on November 5th. Was the letter real?
The warning letter reached the King, and the King's forces made plans to stop the conspirators.
Guy Fawkes, who was in the cellar of the parliament with the 36 barrels of gunpowder when the authorities stormed it in the early hours of November 5th, was caught, tortured and executed.
It's unclear if the conspirators would ever have been able to pull off their plan to blow up the Parliament even if they had not been betrayed. Some have suggested that the gunpowder itself was so old as to be useless. Since Guy Fawkes and the other conspirators got caught before trying to ignite the powder, we'll never know for certain.
Even for the period which was notoriously unstable, the Gunpowder Plot struck a very profound chord for the people of England. In fact, even today, the reigning monarch only enters the Parliament once a year, on what is called "the State Opening of Parliament". Prior to the Opening, and according to custom, the Yeomen of the Guard search the cellars of the Palace of Westminster. Nowadays, the Queen and Parliament still observe this tradition.
On the very night that the Gunpowder Plot was foiled, on November 5th, 1605, bonfires were set alight to celebrate the safety of the King. Since then, November 5th has become known as Bonfire Night. The event is commemorated every year with fireworks and burning effigies of Guy Fawkes on a bonfire.
Some of the English have been known to wonder,in a tongue in cheek kind of way, whether they are celebrating Fawkes' execution or honoring his attempt to do away with the government.
Guy and the Plot Today
Beyond Bonfire Night, Guy and the Gunpowder Plot have left a legacy.
Today, we use the word "guy" to mean "person" or "man", as in "that guy across the street". Although the Oxford English Dictionary won't vouch for this theory, many linguists and historians think that our use of the term in that way is from our friend Guy Fawkes. It's difficult to trace the exact path of the word over the centuries, but it probably started by referring to the effigy of Fawkes that was thrown on top of the bonfire every November 5th as "a guy". Still today, as they walk down the street trying to collect money for fireworks, kids will ask for "a penny for the guy." From there, it's not a huge leap to talk about "a guy" as a living person. The use of the word would have grown from there.
Source: bonfire.org
Did you notice how many Phrasal Verbs were above? Get using them!!
Even if, like me, you don't follow motor-racing as a rule; you can't deny that this year's Formula One has been exciting. Here is a summary of what happened from the viewpoint of the BBC:
Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen won his first Formula One drivers' championship as Lewis Hamilton's bid came to a dramatic end in the Brazilian Grand Prix.
Hamilton's attempt to make history by winning the title in his maiden season ended when he finished only seventh.
His challenge was ended when problems with his McLaren dropped him to the back of the field early on.
His team-mate Fernando Alonso's hopes were dashed as he finished third behind Raikkonen's team-mate Felipe Massa.
Finn Raikkonen, who has won two more races than anyone else this season, won the championship with 110 points, with Alonso and Hamilton tied on 109 points.
Hamilton ended the season in second place on countback, with one more second-place race finish than Alonso.
Things started to go wrong for Hamilton from the start. As Massa eased into the lead from pole position, the Englishman was slow away from his second place on the grid, and was passed by Raikkonen before the first corner.
Then, as they entered the first turn, Alonso drew alongside Hamilton on the outside, claiming the inside line and third place as they went into the second part of the chicane.
Hamilton then unwisely and unnecessarily tried to re-pass his team-mate on the outside into the Subida da Lago corner at the end of the back straight.
He got onto the slippery outside of the track, and slid off into the run-off area, rejoining in eighth place.
Raikkonen sensed Hamilton's early mistake might provide him with an opening to snatch victory.
"I got a good start and was side by side with Felipe," ssaid Raikkonen. "But the main thing was not to race with him, but get past Hamilton.
"I then saw Hamilton go off and I knew maybe we had a chance."
In itself, that error was not enough to end his hopes of becoming champion, but worse was soon to come.
Hamilton quickly set about regaining places, but ran into more problems on lap eight, when he slowed almost to a halt as his car slipped out of gear.
The gearbox electronics corrected themselves, enabling Hamilton to get back on his way, but by then had lost more than 40 seconds, and was at the back of the field.
The 22-year-old spent the rest of the afternoon fighting through the field, desperately trying to gain enough places to stop one of his rivals beating him to the world championship.
In an attempt to ease his task, McLaren chose a radical three-stop strategy, the thinking presumably being that with a lighter car he would find it easier to overtake his rivals.
The teams have to use both of two types of tyreduring the race.
And McLaren chose to get the slower, softer tyre out of the way early with a short second stint.
That way, he would be on the faster tyre at the end of the race when nearly all the other drivers were on the slower one.
Hamilton did get up into the points during his third stint but, once Raikkonen assumed the lead after passing Massa during the second pit-stop period, the Englishman needed to finish fifth to stay ahead of the Finn.
Alonso's hold on the title he has held for two years ended in a damp squib.
The Spaniard was never in contention for victory in a race that was dominated by the Ferraris.
And although he had the edge on everyone else, third place was not enough to stay ahead of Raikkonen in the standings.
Have you ever been to see an important sporting event? What for you is the most memorable sporting occassion? Why? What happened?
It's difficult to start work in a new department but once you learn the ropes, you'll be fine.
There are lots of sport idioms, such as the previous example, in English. Take a look at the following list of Sport Idioms. Choose ones that you think will be useful, create some examples and then post them here.
What does it mean to you?
What's your favourite neighbourhood? Why?
What advice would you give to a visitor?
What changes have you seen?
How would you compare it to other cities that you know?
Have a look at some of these extracts from the Wikitravel guide to Madrid. Do you agree with them? What advice would you add?
Madrid is the capital of Spain, as well as the capital of the autonomous community of the same name (Comunidad de Madrid). It is Spain's largest city, with a population (city) of 3.228 million (July 2005) and 5.843 million (metropolitan area). Madrid is best known for its great cultural and artistic heritage, a good example of which is the El Prado museum. Madrid also boasts some of the liveliest nightlife in the world.
Culture
The culture of Madrid was dominated by its religious and royal history. Enormous, monolithic cathedrals and churches are plentiful in Madrid, as well as medieval architecture, although nowadays Madrid is just as much a cosmopolitan city asBerlin or London.
The citizens of Madrid, who refer to themselves as Madrileños or the more traditional and currently seldom used term "gatos" (cats), live by a daily routine that is heavily influenced by the harsh climate. Due to the typically extreme midday heat, a "siesta" is observed during which some citizens take a break tocool off. Small stores are often closed during this time. Workers and those more afflicted by Western lifestyles choose not to observe this long break and work traditional business hours, which are usually between 9 a.m. and 6-7 p.m. During summer many offices, however, will have a summer schedule requiring workers to start at 8am and finish at 3pm (most commonly without the standard 1-2 hour break for lunch). Offices usually close during the weekend but businesses are often open Saturday morning (downtown stays open until afternoon). Most grocers are closed on Sundays, but some major chain and department stores, like FNAC, will be open throughoutthe day.
Madrid possibly has the largest number of bars per capita of any European city and a very active nightlife; Madrileños are known to stay up until as late as 6-8 a.m. It is important to note that, due to this lifestyle, lodging located near the Gran Via may end up a nightmare for light sleepers.
Madrid has become very modernized as of late, with an elaborate transportation network comprised of buses and the Metro. The city contrasts with some large European cities in that it is extremely clean, and city employees in bright yellow vests can almost always be seen cleaning the streets andsidewalks. Like most large cities, however, there is a substantial population of vagrantsand beggars lining the streets.
Madrid is one of the biggest and most cosmopolitan cities in Europe. Communities of West Africans, North Africans, Latin Americans, other Europeans, Chinese, Indians, Filipinos and Pakistanis are prominent.
Speak
The majority of Madrid's residents do not speak very much English. Even employees at U.S. franchised businesses such as McDonald's and employees at cash exchange centers rarely speak much English. You can often find someone with afairgrasp of English at larger hotels and tourism sites, but it would nevertheless be helpful to know at least a few common Spanish words and phrases.
By car
Transportation by private automobile in Madrid can be very difficult. The Spanish capital suffers from the typical problems of most big cities: far too many cars and not enough space to accommodate them. Sometimes there can even be traffic jams in the Paseo de la Castellana at three o'clock in the morning (then again, three in the morning is early to some Madrileños). The problem is compounded by the narrow streets in the old town, where a lorry delivering beer barrels to a local bar can cause a huge tailback. Looking for a place to park your car can be very time consuming, and difficult if one is not skilled in the art of close proximity parallel parking. Many Spaniards are also lacking in this art, prompting them to simply park in the street, blocking other cars in. If you find yourself blocked in by such a practice, honk your horn until the driver returns, he will usually just be popping in to a shop, and it will make you feel better. If you parallel park your car in Madrid be very awarethat most Madrileños park by sound alone. They will feel no remorse for repeatedly hitting the car in front and behind them while trying to get into or out of a tight spot. If you value your car's paint job, or you have rented a car, it may be best to park underground. Though this is no guarantee for nobody hitting your car, the chances are somewhat diminished.
On the other hand, travel by car can be advantageous; going home by car on weekends is, of course depending where you live, usually faster than by public transport.
10 things you must do before you leave
Get lost in the Museo del Prado.
Go shopping in Calle Fuencarral (trendy) or Salamanca district (posh)... it's up to you!
Eat a bocadillo de calamares (squid sandwich) near Plaza Mayor.
Struggle among the crowds in El Rastro on a sunny Sunday morning.
Go to a theater on Gran Via and enjoy a musical show.
Go for some tapas in La Latina (don't forget patatas bravas).
Spend an afternoon in El Retiro.
Get back to 16th century in Plaza de la Paja and surroundings.
See a sunset at the Templo de Debod.
Have a drink and dance in Malasaña district until dawn, then have a chocolate con churros breakfast.
(now you are a madrileño!)
