This is me!!!

2007-09-22T18:13:00.001-03:00

The dreamt vacation (Part III)

It was a rainy blowing day. It was 27th December. It was the day. We were all exciting at the local airport. We had to fly to Bs As, where we would take our flight to Europe. When we arrived at Bs As, the sun was shining and it was a hot day. We all were happy, but unfortunately it lasted a few hours because our teacher told us that we had to wait until the following day to take the flight since our plane was broken.
The company was in charge of our accommodation, meals and calls. We stayed in a comfortable and warmly hotel. The hotel was near “peatonal Florida”, so we decided to go out and know that famous place which is full of shops, we also went to “Puerto Maderos”, Obelisco, and Cabildo. The day was almost to finish, we had dinner and went to bed because the following day was the day!
It was 28th December. It was 6: 30 when the telephone rang; it was our “alarm clock”. We had a bath and got our luggage down stairs. Then we had our breakfast. At 8 o’clock our mini bus arrived it would take us to the International Airport of Ezeiza.
We wait for HOURS, until a soft and gentle voice said that we had to check in. We were so exciting; I couldn’t believe that in few hours we were to be in Europe.
As I got into the plane, a lady welcomed and indicated what my seat was.

2007-09-22T18:12:00.001-03:00

The dreamt vacation (Part II)

We had the date of our departure, so we-students- had to arrange every document required to travel abroad. I made the procedure in order to get my passport six month before, but something was wrong, all my documents had been lost at the police station; and in two weeks we were suppose to be in Ireland. I can’t explain how my heart was, the whole dream of being in Europe was vanishing at same time as the police officer told me “sorry, you have to make the procedure again, it will take two weeks to get the passport.” When I arrived home, my parents saw my depress face, and they could infer that something happened. My parents had worked so hard to save the money for the journey that they decided to not renounce to this. A few days after this incident, my mother and I traveled to Capital federal to obtain the passport. It was said that there the procedure was more quickly and it would take only a few days. Fortunately, it was true.

2007-09-22T18:10:00.000-03:00

The dreamt vacation (Part I)

Have you ever dream with the perfect vacation? Ten years have passed since I first traveled abroad and I had the chance to experience the most beautiful vacation that have ever imagined. I was only 17 years old when my parents gave me the most precious gift, a journey to Ireland.
One day, as I was at class, our English teacher told us about her project of forming a group of students to travel to Ireland in order to attend an English course. As soon as I heard this news, I could picture into my mind how amazing it would be. So, I told my parents about the meeting that my teacher has arranged to inform about the journey; and they agreed to go to the reunion, I couldn’t believe it. From that moment after the meeting, many parents and students worked together to get money for the journey. Almost ten months have passed when we get the sufficient amount of money to pay for our course and accommodation. When one day our teacher said that she already had the date for our departure, it was the December 27th, 1996.

2007-08-13T16:16:00.000-03:00

Being an astrologer…

Astrologer: good morning people! Today we have a positive atmosphere here. I can feel love, peace… I can feel a positive energy in this studio.
Ok, now I’m going to answer some e-mails that the viewers sent me to my e-mail box.
This mail is from Silvia. According to the date of your birth you belong to the sign of Cancer. For this week Cancer should be cautious, since you may sprain your ankle while crossing the street because of the potholes. So, be careful please!!!
Now, let me see… I have another e-mail. This mail is from Felix. Felix, your sign is Capricorn. Your prediction for this weekend is that you should pay attention to your stomach, given that you may have some problem with it because of some beverages. Good luck Felix and take care.
This is the last e-mail…this is from Nicolas. According to the day of your birth your sign is Virgo. Nicolas is wondering how is going to be his holidays. Ok, Nicolas, instead of the trip you have planned all year you’ll be taking a cruise on the Internet surfing to the places you had planned on visiting. Sorry Nicolas, take my advice otherwise you could be stroke by a lightning during a tropical storm. Good fortune, Nicolas!
That’s all for today my beloved readers. See you next week and enjoy your weekend.
Be optimistic and you will have good luck ;)

2007-08-13T15:35:00.001-03:00

The best things in life are free

A matter of considerable controversy at present is the fact whether the best things in life are free. There is no doubt that money offers people with the possibility to have access to basic necessities as health and education. However, while money is seemed as a requirement in order to have a comfortable life, it cannot be denied there are many things that money cannot buy, as happiness and love.
Money is necessary to fulfill our basic necessities and to improve health, as well. However, I believe that money does not guarantee a healthy life as well as the happiness which can be achieved in our relatives and friends.

2007-08-13T13:49:00.000-03:00

If I were a…

Name: Martina and Hernan
Place: countryside
Day: Saturday
Hour: 21:30
Month: November
Number: 4
Color: blue
Fragrance: Amarige (Givenchy)
Flower: jasmine
Country: Argentina
Book: the bible
Film: la vida es bella
Song: I don’t know much
Cartoon: the pink panther
TV program: Friends
Love: Martin
Wish: peace
Frustration: playing hockey
Regret:
Trip: Ireland
Friend: Martin
Animal: fish
Gift: a golden necklace

Article 16

2007-08-12T20:54:00.000-03:00

Harry Potter and the internet spoilersEsther AddleyThursday July 19, 2007The Guardian
It has one of the strictest embargoes, and perhaps the tightest security, of any book in publishing history. But only days before publication of the new Harry Potter novel its publishers yesterday were engaged in a desperate battle to suppress a number of websites after extracts apparently taken from the book appeared on the internet.
Digital photos of pages of a book purporting to be Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final volume in JK Rowling's enormously popular series, have been appearing on websites. Online file sharing networks were also offering downloadable files claiming to contain the full text of the novel, which will be launched in Britain and most of the English-speaking world at midnight UK time tomorrow and across the US five hours later.

Scholastic, the publishing house which owns the US rights, said it was endeavouring to remove the spoilers from the sites, and said there was no guarantee the leaks were authentic. "There are multiple versions of what appear to be official copies of the book on the internet, but they are conflicting," Lisa Holton, president of trade publishing and book fairs, said. "Our goal is to take down all this different material, and by taking it down we'll never know whether any of it was real until you read it yourself on Saturday morning." The firm said it had persuaded YouTube and MySpace not to carry extracts. It has also initiated legal proceedings against another website, gaiaonline.com, for publishing material relating to the book.
If the extracts are genuine it will be one of the most serious security lapses since the publication of the first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 10 years ago. Ahead of the launch books have been kept in guarded warehouses and delivered by vans tracked by satellites. Clays, printer of the British edition, installed barbed wire around its Suffolk plant and hired extra guards to search workers as they left the factory. A spokeswoman for Bloomsbury, which owns the English language rights outside the US, said only one person at the publisher, JK Rowling's editor Emma Matthewson, had read the manuscript. The author herself has made an impassioned plea on her website against the "sad individuals who get their kicks from ruining other people's fun. I want the readers who have, in many instances, grown up with Harry to embark on the last adventure they will share with him without knowing where they are going," she wrote.

Harry Potter and the boy wizard translatorKim Willsher in ParisWednesday August 8, 2007Guardian Unlimited
A French Harry Potter fan was arrested and held by police after allegedly posting a pirate translation of the young wizard's latest adventures on the internet.
The 16-year-old was apparently too impatient to wait for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and last in the bestselling series, to be published in French.
So he set about translating all 784 pages into the language of Molière himself, according to investigators. The first chapters were available for download a few days after the book came out in July and the complete text was online within days. The site has since been shut down.

"He wasn't doing it to make money, he is a fan," explained one investigator. "His language is French but he's very good at English."
According to Le Parisien newspaper, Miss Rowling alerted her French publishers, Gallimard, to the unofficial version on the Internet.
Police said they were "particularly surprised" by the quality of the pirate version, which they said was "semi-professional".
The high-school student from Aix-en-Provence, who has not been named, was arrested by police on Monday and kept in custody overnight. He was released today while "preliminary inquiries" are made. Police said they were hoping to question several more people in the case. If convicted, those responsible for the fraud could face heavy fines.
The book will be published in French under the title "Harry Potter et les reliques de la mort" in October.
An internet discussion last month suggested several fans working together had produced the pirate translation. Internet users were given the chance to download it in PDF format.
"The translations is semi-professional, proof of relentless work by "fans'," said one blogger.
They added: "These passionate pirates are risking a lot. We have learned that the editor has launched a big 'witch hunt' to throw in the cauldron those pirating JK Rowling's book."
Another blogger complained: "Obviously given the success of the series people's stupidity is provoked - why, we could ask, isn't the publisher capable of publishing the book internationally. It shows a lack of respect for all the French/Spanish/German speaking readers."
The seventh book - as with the previous novels - is being officially translated by Jean-Fran¸ois Ménard.
Mr Ménard, 59, who is an author in his own right, has also translated Roald Dahl and Evin Coffer's Artemis Fowl books. He translates to a strict deadline.
His wife, Diane, told the Guardian: "He cannot talk to you right now as he's translating night and day.
"I hadn't heard about this pirate translation but with the previous books there's often been someone doing something like this and it's never threatened the real thing."
She added: "I remember seeing one on the internet but the first line was the opposite of what it should have been, so it wasn't a very good start."

Vocabulary:

Suppress: If someone in authority suppresses an activity, they prevent it from continuing, by using force or making it illegal.

Leak: If a secret document or piece of information leaks or is leaked, someone lets the public know about it.

Lapse: If a period of time lapses, it passes.

Warehouse: A warehouse is a large building where raw materials or manufactured goods are stored until they are exported to other countries or distributed to shops to be sold.

Release: If a person or animal is released from somewhere where they have been locked up or looked after, they are set free or allowed to go.

Relentless: Something bad that is relentless never stops or never becomes less intense.

Cauldron: A cauldron is a very large, round metal pot used for cooking over a fire. In stories and fairy tales, a cauldron is used by witches for their spells.

Threaten: If you feel threatened, you feel as if someone is trying to harm you.

Main ideas:

After the publication of the new Harry Potter novel its publishers started a new battle to suppress a number of websites
Extracts apparently taken from the book appeared on the internet.
The launch books have been kept in guarded warehouses and delivered by vans tracked by satellites
The author herself has made an impassioned plea on her website against the people who spoil the story by anticipating what is going to happen
A French Harry Potter fan was arrested because has translated the book into French and posted it in the web

Personal Reaction:

Harry Potter has been a successful series book which caught the attention of many lecturers from different ages. The problem that this article mentions should be stopped. Since not only Harry Potter but also many books are posted in the web, in this way the habit of reading a book holding on your hands is spoiled. It is not the same to read a book that read it from a screen, apart from damage your eyes; it has many bad consequences regarding authors to publisher companies. In my opinion, I would say that there would be any kind of restrictions to post books in the web since it is illegal as well as making copies from a book.

Article 15

2007-08-12T20:53:00.000-03:00

Is one child enough?
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By Diana Burrell
(Parenting) -- How to weigh whether to have another child -- and what to know about raising an "only"
My husband and I decided to be a one-child family long before our son Oliver was born. With several years of reproductive-health scares behind me, conceiving a child felt like a Powerball win; I didn't need another chance at the jackpot.
Scott thought we could avoid the inevitable slings and arrows of sibling warfare. We both hail from large families, in which continuation of the family name is assured through siblings and cousins.
We were content with our decision, and our families took it well, too. A few months after Oliver was born, I bagged up my maternity clothes for a tag sale, and Scott started researching permanent birth-control options.
But one afternoon while absentmindedly sorting through blue and green baby clothes, the thought hit me like a punch: "I'll never sort through pink clothes." For years I'd imagined myself the mom of a daughter. After all, it had been a popular refrain throughout my adolescence ("I'll never tell my daughter what I think about her clothes," I'd intone to my mother). And I secretly hoped that my daughter would continue the tradition of attending my all-women alma mater.
It wasn't that I was disappointed with a son. To be honest, I was relieved the day we found out we were having a boy because I could work the experience of being the older sister to three younger brothers to the fullest.
Hearing the door clang shut on my fantasy daughter, however, made me doubt. When acquaintances asked, "So, are you having any more?" my voice quivered when I answered no.
A woman in my local mothers' group worried aloud, "How would you feel if something happened to Oliver and you didn't have any more children?" Did I really need another child as an insurance policy?
One night when the anxiety felt particularly overwhelming, I asked Scott, "Is it okay if we hold off on that vasectomy for a while?"
"It's normal to wonder if you're making the right choices and decisions, no matter how many kids you have," says Susan Jeffers, Ph.D., author of I'm OK, You're a Brat! Setting the Priorities Straight and Freeing You From the Guilt and Mad Myths of Parenthood. "Even if you decided to have two or more children, you'd wonder if your life would have been easier with only one child."
Choosing to have one
Haseena Correia of Valley Stream, New York, mom to Zachary, 2, has long planned to have one child.
"Once I understood how much work it takes to have a career and raise a child at the same time, I pretty much decided one was all I could handle," she says. Correia says being a one-child family allows her the right balance.
"It gives me the joy of being a mother, but it's not too overwhelming to the point where I don't have any time for myself or my husband," she says.
Financial barriers were also a factor in their decision. "With a mortgage, skyrocketing taxes, and two cars, we have to be a two-income family. Having another child is financially just not an option for us," she says.
There are social and emotional pressures to consider, too. "If your friends are having second -- and third -- children, you can feel left out," says Susan Newman, Ph.D., author of Parenting an Only Child. "Or you or your spouse may want more kids, but the other doesn't."
Sorting out our feelings on most of these things was actually easy for me and Scott. (It was the emotional pull that gave me second thoughts.) We have similar goals for the future, and we realized that with our temperaments, one child would be best for our marriage. We're happy for our friends who are having second and third children, but for us, Oliver completes our family.
When you don't have a choice
Sometimes the twists and turns of life narrow your choices or eliminate them completely. Jennifer Lawler of Eudora, Kansas, always thought having four kids sounded perfect. But when her daughter Jessica was born with life-threatening health problems and Lawler's uterine fibroids compromised future pregnancies, she and her husband knew Jessica would be their only child. Lawler says, "Raising our daughter was going to take a lot of emotional, physical, and financial resources. If I had any more children, I didn't think I could handle it."
Time made the situation easier. "It's a process of acceptance," says Lawler.
"One thing that was helpful for me was not to focus on the past or the future. I put my energy toward making this the brightest moment. There were times when we thought Jessica wouldn't live, talk, or walk. She's done all those things, so I feel relief and gratitude."
Answering to everyone
As you work out what's best for your family, you'll face some tough questions all around:
• From yourself: Laura Miller of Ottawa, Kansas, mom to Emma, 6, is undecided about having more children. "If finances and circumstances ever allow, we might have another child," she says. "But we're happy the way our family is now." She admits she still has fears. "My husband and I both have brothers and sisters --I can't imagine not having them to lean on. But after we're gone, Emma will be alone."
In my darkest moments, I've been known to worry about the unthinkable: With no other children, what would I do if I lost Oliver? But, of course, parents of onlies don't own the front and center on worry. "Parents fear for all their children," says Newman. "Families with a number of children are equally devastated and blown apart when a child dies -- the pain is no less just because you have others." We need to accept that something so dramatic as death is highly unlikely and try not to live our lives in a state of anxiety.
• From others: "The pressure to have a second child is often greater than for the first," says Newman. But the fact is that the friends, family, and even strangers who are exerting pressure aren't the ones who'll be caring for these future children till they reach adulthood. After Lawler's daughter was born, she answered her questioners with "We're going to take care of Jessica."
Sometimes intrusive questions and opinions can drive us nuts, which is why it can be helpful to look within before lashing out.
"When you are affected by this pressure, it means you're looking for that person's approval," says Jeffers. "Ask yourself, 'Why am I reacting this way? Am I afraid of criticism from this person?' As soon as you stop needing their approval, you can relax and appreciate the decision you made." Once a mom is feeling calmer, she can answer the critics with, say, "I understand you really want this, but it's not right for me" or "Well, thanks for passing on your ideas."
• From your child -- it happens: Many onlies will ask -- loudly, often -- for a little brother or sister, or wonder aloud why they're stuck being an only child. A straightforward answer is the best bet, says Lise Youngblade, Ph.D., associate director of the Institute for Child Health Policy at the University of Florida in Gainesville. "The last thing parents want to do is get into a negotiation," she says. Instead, respond with something like "We've decided that our family size is just right. There are lots of different kinds of families, and this is how ours is."
With an older child, you can point out that many of the advantages he enjoys as an only -- his own specially decorated bedroom, for instance, or the one-on-one time he has with Mom and Dad -- may be things he wouldn't have with a brother or sister. You can also try asking your child what he thinks would be the benefits of having a sibling. It could be as simple as having a bunk bed.
If a child's demands don't abate, Jeffers points out that "children complain, period." Parents with two or three kids sometimes hear, "Mommy, it's time to send the baby back to the hospital."
In my case, it took me time to say goodbye to my fantasy daughter, but when Oliver was 18 months old, I finally said to Scott, "Let's do it," on the vasectomy.
I'm very happy with my son and our decision, and I've looked for other ways to indulge my daughter needs. I volunteered as a Big Sister and counseled a 15-year-old on boyfriends. When I spot cute girly-girl dresses, I buy them for my friend's daughters. And I console myself that when I go through menopause, there won't be two hormonal women under this roof
Vocabulary:
Jackpot: If you hit the jackpot, you have a great success, for example by winning a lot of money or having a piece of good luck. (INFORMAL)
Sling: If you sling something somewhere, you throw it there carelessly.
Sibling: Your siblings are your brothers and sisters. (FORMAL)
Hail: Someone who hails from a particular place was born there or lives there. (FORMAL)
Acquetance: An acquaintance is someone who you have met and know slightly, but not well.
Quiver: If you say that someone or their voice is quivering with an emotion such as rage or excitement, you mean that they are strongly affected by this emotion and show it in their appearance or voice.
Overwhelming: If something is overwhelming, it affects you very strongly, and you do not know how to deal with it.
Mortage: A mortgage is a loan of money which you get from a bank or building society in order to buy a house.
Skyrocket: If prices or amounts skyrocket, they suddenly increase by a very large amount.
Handle: If you say that someone can handle a problem or situation, you mean that they have the ability to deal with it successfully.
Main Ideas:
Some couples decide to have one child
Health, financial, emotional issues to consider
Pressure to have second child greater than for first
Mom: A "process of acceptance" when you can't have another child

Personal Reaction:

Fortunately, nowadays there exist many methods to prevent pregnancy, in order to plan a family. This article refers to the option of having one child or more. This topic is very subjective and regarding my opinion, I would say that it is better to have more than one child. It is truth that before planning to have the second you have to take into accounts many things since a new member may produce a change in the family life. However, a sibling for your primogenitor is good because the best moments of our childhood is shared with our brothers and sister. Apart from this when parents do not live any longer, the primogenitor could have a family where he can find a shelter, as his brother or sister.

Article 13

2007-08-12T20:50:00.000-03:00

Immigration is bad for society, but only until a new solidarity is forgedAn important US study shows us that the effects of ethnic diversity can be read as a challenge, rather than a threat Madeleine BuntingMonday June 18, 2007The Guardian
Not many thinkers successfully straddle academia and politics, but one of the few who has managed to do so on both sides of the Atlantic is Robert Putnam, author of Bowling Alone. You can spot traces of his influence all over New Labour policy. He was the man who popularised the concept of social capital - the trust and networks of friendship, neighbourhood and organisations on which so much of our lives depend - and it has won him the ear of politicians of all persuasions: Bill Clinton, George Bush, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, even, most recently, the Libyan leader, Muammar Gadafy.
Aware of how his work is used politically, Putnam is understandably nervous now about how he presents the first findings of the biggest study of social capital ever undertaken on which he has been working for over five years. He started out wanting to track social capital over time and in different communities across the US. What he wasn't expecting to find was a negative link between ethnic diversity and social capital. Put crudely, the more ethnically diverse the neighbourhood, the less likely you are to trust your local shopkeeper, regardless of his or her ethnicity. He warns that, however uncomfortable this conclusion might be, "progressives can't stick their head in the sand".
But the killer punch of his research is that diversity not only reduces social capital between ethnic groups but also within ethnic groups. Diversity leads not so much to bad race relations as to everyone becoming more isolated and less trustful. In the jargon, it kills off both the "bridging capital" between different groups and "bonding capital", which are the connections among people like yourself. Putnam calls it "hunkering down" as people withdraw from all kinds of connectedness in their community. And what follows is a long list of negative consequences, which include less confidence in local government and the media, lower voting registration (though higher participation in protest), less volunteering, fewer close friends, lower rates of happiness and perceived quality of life and more time spent watching television. It affects almost all our relationships, from the most public to the most intimate.
Putnam and his team are too rigorous for any of the usual objections to stick. To reach his conclusion, he controlled for a wide range of other factors including inequality, poverty, residential mobility and education, to be sure that "hunkering" was really a response to ethnic diversity. He wasn't going to publish these kinds of explosive findings without being pretty sure he was right.
What's still not clear to him is what causes the hunkering and whether social psychology might provide some answers. Certainly social psychologists are not unfamiliar with the phenomenon. A study of American schools after desegregation found that children were defining who they would play with more narrowly than ever - "resegregation" followed lines not only of ethnicity but also of gender.
What makes Putnam nervous now is how this could be seized upon by rightwing politicians hostile to immigration. So he insists his research be seen in the context a) that ethnic diversity is increasing in all modern societies and is not only inevitable but is also desirable, a proven asset in terms of creativity and economic growth; and b) that "hunkering" can be short term and "successful immigrant societies create new forms of social solidarity".
In conversation, he emphasises the latter, well aware that he is publishing his findings at a time of intense anxiety over these issues both in the US (where legislation to legalise some of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants just got thrown out of Congress) and in Europe. He doesn't underestimate the scale of the challenge, particularly in European countries that, he acknowledges, "haven't been immigrant societies for 1,000 years". He says that the "major social learning process" required is in the same league as that required by the industrial revolution.
But as he arrives in Manchester at the start of a major comparative project of social capital between the UK and the US, his big theme is don't panic. He rattles through US history to offer all kinds of illustrations of how large-scale migration can be successfully accommodated in a bid to allay some of the European anxiety, particularly around its Muslim minorities.
Neither the US nor Europe is currently facing the kind of levels of migration relative to population seen at the turn of the 20th century in the US. To the argument that the shiploads arriving in Ellis Island were all Europeans who thus had some common culture, he points out that at the time there was a rich alarmist literature of how racially distinct the Jewish or Italian immigrant groups were. The US has had a history of "exceptionalism" - the line "that past immigration is fine, but current immigrants present an unprecedented problem" - yet each new wave in turn is absorbed as successfully as the last.
US history shows that all migrant groups develop an intense religiosity - Irish, Italian, Jewish, Hispanic. The increasing religious identification of Muslims in Europe fits neatly into a well-established pattern. As do the tendencies to marry within ethnic and faith communities, and to maintain close ties to the country of origin - none of these inhibit integration in the long term.
You could say that they are part of the pattern of settlement as the first couple of generations maintain a strong migrant identity - which is, paradoxically, an important part of their capacity to integrate. A strong community identity gives them the confidence and self-respect to establish themselves and get on.
The frequent UK response to the US experience is that it's not relevant here. The US has a civic nationalism which facilitates the melting pot - the flags and pledges of allegiance But in fact US civic nationalism was deliberately invented at the end of the 19th century in the US precisely to replace an ethno-nationalism challenged by mass immigration. The implication is quite clear: it's up to the UK to develop a comparable civic nationalism, a point that has not been lost on any of the protagonists in the UK debate to whom Putnam has been speaking, from Trevor Phillips to Ruth Kelly, as their frequent statements about British identity indicate. If you want to understand what's driving the political establishment, read Putnam.
The only problem is that they seem to give more prominence to some of his ideas than others. Too often the public debate is skewed towards getting "them" to integrate with "us", and conform to "our" norms of dress, culture and values. When this is allied to an aggressive rhetoric on the war against terror, it begins to sound like hectoring or some form of persecution. But Putnam is not talking about a top-down set of instructions on nationalism, but a much broader social process in which the host country changes as much as it, changes its new arrivals: through a collaborative effort of imagination and myriad individual experiences, new solidarity is forged. It's a message of hope that he keenly hopes doesn't get buried in sensationalist headlines about the short term cost of "hunkering".
m.bunting@guardian.co.uk

Vocabulary:

Straddle: Someone or something that straddles different periods, groups, or fields of activity exists in, belongs to, or takes elements from them all.

Network: A network of people or institutions is a large number of them that have a connection with each other and work together as a system.

Understandable: If you say that something such as a statement or theory is understandable, you mean that people can easily understand it.

Track: If you track someone or something, you investigate them, because you are interested in finding out more about them.

Hunker down: If you say that someone hunkers down, you mean that they are trying to avoid doing things that will make them noticed or put them in danger.

Desegregate: To desegregate something such as a place, institution, or service means to officially stop keeping the people who use it in separate groups, especially groups that are defined by race.

Asset: Something or someone that is an asset is considered useful or helps a person or organization to be successful.

Rattle: If something or someone rattles you, they make you nervous.

Allay: If you allay someone's fears or doubts, you stop them feeling afraid or doubtful. (FORMAL)

Skew: If something is skewed, it is changed or affected to some extent by a new or unusual factor, and so is not correct or normal.

Main Ideas:

Robert Putnamhe presented the first findings of the biggest Studio of social capital
He found a negative link between ethnic diversity and social capital.
Diversity leads not only to bad race relations but also to everyone becoming more isolated and less trustful.
He calls it "hunkering down", people leave of connectedness in their community which carries negative consequences.
Less confidence in local government and the media, lower voting registration, less volunteering, fewer close friends, lower rates of happiness and perceived quality of life and more time spent watching television.
Ethnic diversity is increasing in all modern societies, and is a proven benefit in terms of creativity and economic growth.
"Hunkering" can be short term and "successful immigrant societies create new forms of social solidarity".

Personal Reaction:

When I read this article, it really caught my attention since we cannot deny that most of the societies in the biggest cities are conformed by a wide range of people who belong to different countries. People who have different ideology, religion and language as well, features which differ from the dwellers of that city. In my opinion, I think that not only immigrants do not usually converge in the new society where they are living, but also the citizens who have belonged to that society do not trust on the newcomers.
This seems to affect the social aspect of a city and the individual behaviour as well. I would say that a society is conformed for every single individual wherever they come and whoever they are given that everyone contributes with a pinch of sand to make the life go round within the society.

Article 11

2007-08-12T20:47:00.000-03:00

Argentina still carries mark of las Malvinas
By James Sturcke / UK news 02:34pm Interviewed for Guardian Unlimited's Falklands 25 Years On multimedia presentation, the Argentinian merchant seaman, Edgardo Dell'Elicine, complained that when he returned home from the conflict, he found people were more interested in events in the World Cup than the contested islands.
A quarter of a century on and times have changed dramatically. Today's papers in Argentina devote substantial space to the 25th anniversary of the invasion of the south Atlantic islands. Pagina 12 leads with details of a new study which says that 40% of Argentinian veterans polled have attempted suicide since the conflict. Almost half experience alcohol problems and 70% still have difficulty sleeping, the study of 200 veterans by Pami, a social services institute, found.
Report author Margarita Morini tells the paper:
"When they returned from the Falklands, the military brainwashed the conscripts so that they hid, so that they were ashamed of, [their experiences]. Consequently, they never externalised the after effects, particularly the psychological ones."
Clarín reports that the Argentinian president, Néstor Kirchner, will head an anniversary parade today on the Patagonian island of Tierra del Fuego, the part of Argentina closest to the Falklands. His appearance had been in doubt due to threats that local government employees would stage a protest about domestic grievances.
A reporter from the paper writes about a chance encounter on a flight from Chile to the Falklands between two Goose Green veterans, one Argentinian, the other British.
On being told by journalists that the Argentinian five rows back was a Falklands veteran, Garry Clement, who has decided to settle on the islands, went over and shook the hand of Oscar Mario Núñez, who watched 37 of his colleagues die at the battle. The two agreed to meet up in Port Stanley and visit the battlefield together, the paper says.
La Nación has a special report on the conflict with videos interspersed with photos - interesting even if you don't speak Spanish.
Such is the level of interest, the paper even has a gallery of screen grabs showing how British newspapers are reporting today's anniversary.
The post was written by James Sturcke. You can email the author at james.sturcke@guardian.co.uk
Comments
The Malvinas subject is a typical case of British bad faith, exercised with gusto by different British governments of all kinds over centuries of plunder, havoc, use of brute force and cheating, in order to built an empire, now almost defunct.Malvinas is one of the last remains of this shameful past.Since 1833 when they were forcefully taken away from Argentina, the sole presence of a certain number of crown employees apparently served, as Britain claims, to reinforce its rights, originally obtained by brute force.UN resolutions to and international calls that compell both parties to sit down, discuss and agreed on sovereignty were (and are)systematically disregarded by the British government, whatever its party colour is.But, conversely of what Britain usually claim, Malvinas is not an isolated issue between Argentina and Britain long, difficult relationship over the centuries.Britain attempted to conquer us in 1806,in 1807 (sending in both cases armies and a fleet from S. Africa for this purpose) and in 1845 as part of a more comprehensive plan to built a colony in this part of S. America. Fortunately those plans failed, and failed miserably thanks to the resistance of the people of this land.Until the last employee of the crown and his/her army counterpart leaves the islands, every Argentine citizen - regardless of his/her political views - will continue to consider Malvinas as part of our Fatherland, illegally occupied by an alien country.In spite of what Thatcher ( this decrepit gorgon and notorious war criminal) and what that former Socialist ( now an enthusiastic colonialist ) Blair could mumble about,the Islands wil continue to be part of our Argentine hearts and souls.
Mario M. helmanBuenos Aires,Argentina
Posted by Malvinas on April 3, 2007 1:25 PM. Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.
Dear Mario, who gave you the right to speak for "every Argentine citizen"?
Islanders seem to be happy with their life. It is extremely unlikely that they will be equally happy with a government that can't even make sure traffic code is respected, let alone deal with poverty in places like Chaco or Formosa, which, since they are NOT illegally occupied by Britain, are of no interest to "every Argentine citizen".
So, I agree partly with what you say here:
"Until the last employee of the crown [...] leaves the island, every Argentine citizen [...] will continue to consider Malvinas as part of our Fatherland [...]".
Absolutely. Only UNTIL THEN. After that, they will fall in the same oblivion where most of Argentina proudly dwells.
More than a territorial claim, Falklands are a symbol. A symbol of all things lost by Argentina in the past centuries. It's hard to let go of a symbol, especially if you are force-fed its importance since kindergarten.Perhaps it's best to start WORKING in order to recover past wealth, and leave Falklands to their happy inhabitants.
Guardian Unlimited © Guardian News and Media Limited 2007

Vocabulary:

Contest: If someone contests an election or competition, they take part in it and try to win it. (mainly BRIT)

Poll: A poll is a survey in which people are asked their opinions about something, usually in order to find out how popular something is or what people intend to do in the future.

Grievance: If you have a grievance about something that has happened or been done, you believe that it was unfair.

Intersperse: If one group of things are interspersed with another or interspersed among another, the second things occur between or among the first things.

Grab: If you grab something, you take it or pick it up suddenly and roughly.

Plunder: If someone plunders a place or plunders things from a place, they steal things from it. (LITERARY)

Havoc: Havoc is great disorder, and confusion.

Defunct: If something is defunct, it no longer exists or has stopped functioning or operating.

Decrepit: Something that is decrepit is old and in bad condition. Someone who is decrepit is old and weak.

Mumble: If you mumble, you speak very quietly and not at all clearly with the result that the words are difficult to understand.

Oblivion: Oblivion is the state of having been forgotten or of no longer being considered important.

Main Ideas:

Las Islas Malvinas and the consequences of the war in soldiers.
Many Argentinean newspapers have mention the 25th anniversary of the war
Argentinean veterans polled have attempted suicide since the conflict.
The opinion of a British man who suggests to take into account the impoverished provinces of Chaco and Formosa instead of being concerned about the Falklands.

Personal Reaction:

Las Islas Malvinas is topic which has hurt the hearth of many Argentinean citizens longing this land to be part of our Argentina. On the 25th anniversary many parades were held but the holiday was not on the 2nd April, since thank to a law holidays are celebrated on Monday. The conflict on the islands dates from many years, which has left the marks. On the war many young boys died because of a liar censorship which pretended to win a war against one of the most powerful countries. On those times, Argentina was struggled difficult moments with a ruler, missing- people, and the war. I think that it is true, we have learnt since kindergarten that Islas Malvinas belong us, and this is the reason why we will still thinking the same the so called Falklands are Argentinean not British.

2007-08-11T23:22:00.001-03:00

The Sarachos

I introduce you my family, it comprises of sixteen people. My dad, 69, he is called Antonio. He is currently retired. He is a hard working man; he has worked since his childhood for many years in different jobs, in order to help his family and bring the bread; and he is still working at home, painting and gardening. My mum, 57, she is called Alcira. She is a housewife. She had a difficult childhood, but she dealt well with it. She is an artist, paints pictures and cooks delicious meals.
I have three brothers all of them are married and have their own house. The elder, Victor is 38. He works as a preceptor (he was my preceptor indeed). He is married to Mariela. She is a kindergarten teacher but she also works as preceptor. Mariela and Victor had a daughter, Paula. She is 6 years old. My middle brother is Ricardo, 37. He doesn’t have a stable job. However, he works hard to bring the bread. He got married to Norma who is a housewife. They have two children, Emanuel, 14; Valeria, 9. My youngest brother is Sergio, 33. He works in a bank as a jefe operativo. He is married to Mariela. They have three children Gisela, 19; Valentina, 5; and the youngest in the family Tobias, 2. They all live in Corrientes. And me, I’m 27. I’m not married yet, but I have a fiancé. His name is Martin; we both study and work as teachers. We have been together for about seven years and we plan to get married and have children.
My family is the most precious thing in my life. I thank God for this family. It isn’t perfect but it’s my family and I love them with my entire hearth.

2007-08-06T16:53:00.000-03:00

A hair- raising strange noise
It was a cold winter day, when tour girls friends decided to make a trip to a small village during the weekend. As soon as they arrived to the village they realized that there were few people, and they were only dwellers who were concerned in their daily duties.
The girls spent the first day roaming around the village and climbing hills. As the evening arrived, the exhausted girls decided to have dinner in a small local bar. When they finish dinner they walked towards the house talking about their plans for the following day. They were near the house, suddenly, they had the sense of hearing a strange noise. It was the dogs’ howls. The girls looked at each other and go on walking in the empty street until something spin chilly caught their attention, it was screams and sobbing that came from the darkness. This made the girls’ hair curl and they ran as fast as they could to the house. They locked the door and closed the windows wishing do not have heard that hair-raising noise.

2007-06-25T16:12:00.002-03:00

Love

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” (1 Corinthians 13:8)
This is the best way of describing love. Love between lovers should be synonyms of respect, sympathy, altruistic and forgiveness. I think that all this is love, and if there aren’t any of these characteristics in a relationship, this wouldn’t be love. Indeed, in an ordinary dictionary the meaning of love is what you feel when someone happiness is very important to you, so that you behave in a kind and caring way towards them.

2007-06-25T16:12:00.001-03:00

God is love

“God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the Day of Judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
We love because he first loved us. If anyone say, “I love God”, yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us his command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” (1 John 4:16-21)
This verse from the bible states that God commanded us to love our brothers; otherwise we are not able to love him. What a difficult task since personally I love God but it is really a great challenge to love each individual in this world. I think that this is something that we should work on it everyday of our lives. God knows that we are not perfect and he will recognize our attempt of being good with others.
I have always said that I don’t abhorrence anyone because I truly did not know what hate was until one day, two guys walked toward me and stole my belongings, from that day I know what hate is. I wished them the worse thing to happen, and I really do not like that feeling, given that I know that was not good. What is more, I every time that I remembered that awful episode, that terrible feeling comes back to my mind. Therefore, I would change that be able to understand what those guy did and pray for them, but as I told you is a big challenge that I have to faced up everyday. However, I know that He –God- is able to discern that from me.
In my opinion, if we take this message from God and work on this day by day, we would be able to have a beautiful, peaceful place to live in.

2007-06-25T16:11:00.000-03:00

Do you know why women and men think different? Because women are from Venus and men from Mars.
This is the title of a book which describes how different men and women are.
Venusians have different values. They value love, communication, beauty and relationships. They spend a lot of time supporting and helping. Meanwhile Martians value power, competency, and achievement. They are always doing things to prove themselves and develop their power and skills. You see, we are dissimilar, they –men-do not have to think as we –women-do, so next time when your partner do not agree with you, not be irritated and think that they see things in a different perspective, given that they not have the ability of thinking as we –women-do

2007-06-25T16:10:00.002-03:00

Military duties affect mental health

It is widely known that those men and women who were once in the front have suffered from mental diseases, given that these people they do not really enjoy going to combat. They suffer from the pressure of their superiors, the act of taking the life of many innocents or not, the fact of being in charge of such responsibility of fighting for your country and freedom. These poor individuals experience the human misery all at once, which of course may affect on their mental health. I feel really pity for these people, who are not heroes of war since you can call someone hero for having killed someone (whoever he is) in the front. However, I think that since they were in warfare for a country, the government and their citizens should recognized their courage, giving them all the medical and financial support.

2007-06-25T16:10:00.001-03:00

Global Warming
A matter of considerable controversy, nowadays, is how the global warming is affecting our world and health. As we know the worldwide climate is changing and it is becoming worse in many countries. On the ground of this, many phenomenons are being experienced by people as wild storms, hurricanes, low temperature, dry lands, and flood, among others. It is said that nature is taking revenge for man’s cruelty, since we- man- are not concerned about how our thoughtless actions affect the nature (ranging from using petrol to waste water in our houses). Apart from this, the ever increasing industry productions also pollute the environment causing the global warming. Regarding health, this problem of global warming is causing many health problems in our daily lives, since it affects our physical condition severely producing asthma, allergies, and heatstroke and infections diseases. It is also said that the number of worldwide toll will rise at a great number if the global warming does not decrease. What is more, illnesses as malaria and cholera will become worst. In my opinion, I can say that we-people and government –should be aware of the terrible consequences of global warming to take the necessary precautions. Otherwise, we and our world will vanish at the same time because of our selfishness. What is worse, our kids and unborn children will not have the chance of enjoying this beautiful and priceless world.

2007-06-25T16:09:00.001-03:00

Cloning

It is said that many clones have been produced, as beloved pets, farm animals, etc., but not human has been cloned yet. I think that the fact of cloning human beings could be possible and acceptable because it could be useful for people who need transplants and it could be a great step in medicine fields. However, I also believe that to clone an individual could be something which may cause psychological problems for the individual who is cloned. Have you ever imagine a cloning person of you? With the same physical characteristics? That would be atrocious to have someone with your same features, you wouldn’t be the “individual” that you were since you wouldn’t be the only one with those features that make you differ from the others.

2007-06-25T16:08:00.002-03:00

Our surrounding affects us

There exist many things that affect our mood and health; for instance, the climate, perfumes, noises and colors. I think that we-human beings- are so vulnerable that we are constantly influenced by our surroundings as a Chinese theory – fen shui- states. This theory says that depending on the positions and colors of our furniture or elements, which are in a room, our mood, concentration, energy and health, could vary. What is more, many studies have shown that fast food restaurants usually paint their walls in yellow, orange and red because these colors make people to eat more and faster.
So next time that you have to paint the walls of your room or get dressed think first how colors may influence on you.
Cell phones give brain burst of caffeine… do you know this?
Yes, it is said that cell phones affect our brain, producing the same reactions as when we consume caffeine. However, scientists do not yet know whether the use of cell phones is safe or unsafe for our health. On the ground of this, it could be said that it would be worthy to investigate how cell phones influence our health, since the number of worldwide cell phones’ users increases everyday. What is more, I am inclined to believe that people and organisms should be aware of the overuse of this gadget and take the necessary precautions owing to cell phones, which are even able to disrupt the system of a bypass.

2007-06-25T16:08:00.001-03:00

Technology is making our world a better place to live

Technology has made many improvements in the field of preventive medicine. Many diseases, as cancer and diabetes are diagnosed at the right time, saving the lives of many people. Furthermore, it is widely claimed that the life expectancy has risen due to the role that technology plays in the world of medicine. There is another side of the issue of whether the technological improvement is making our world a better place to live. Most people advocate that the new ways of entertainment in our lives are better than those days when there was only black-and –white television.
On the other hand, many people disagree with this issue, of technology. One argument against technological advances is that they lead to a lack of imagination in children. Computers and games consoles provide children with unimaginable things. However, it could be harmful for them given that, nowadays, kids do not use there imagination to play with other children, not to mention the fact that most kids prefer to play video games rather than to read a book. Another drawback of technological development is that in most cases new machinery has replaced men in many jobs, as machinery is more efficient and more quickly than man. Therefore, many people lost their right of working and have missed the opportunity of being bread winners.
I could say that technology is making our world a better place to live because it grants us a safer and more comfortable world to live in. However, we cannot deny its negative aspects. Man has been either used as a cog in a machine or he has been swept away by the machinery he has created to support him. He has become the slave of his creation.

2007-06-25T16:07:00.001-03:00

A wild party
I will tell you a wild funny story that begins in the jungle. All the wild animals had a plan to spend a day having fun. They decided to have a party and everyone was invited. Very early in the morning, the animals brought out the balloons with which they decorated the trees.
In charge of the meal were the bat, the cat and the rat. The parrot was the disk jockey. He played tango, salsa rock and cuarteto. The animals really had fan!
When the night arrived, the tired animals went to bed after a wonderful day!!!

2007-06-15T22:00:00.001-03:00

She & He

It was a blowy, frizzing night…
There was darkness in the night, especially in her heart.
She was alone and cold.
She was waiting for something...since the pain didn’t release.
Until a person who walked towards her, asked the time among other things.
She’s seen him by sight among the crowd
But it was time to leave

Months have passed
The pain has released her heart
But she was still waiting for something...
They met again in a crowed place
She didn’t know anybody. However, she could see a free seat besides him

Since then, they have never taken apart
He gave her the light that she was looking for
He gave her the warmth of the sun
He healed her wounds
He opened his heart
And tought her what love was

2007-06-15T21:58:00.000-03:00

One should never judge external appearance

External appearance is an issue which frequently generates a great deal of heated debates. There are opponents who maintain that it is important for social life. Apart from this, they may say that it is normal to make judgment given that we- human beings – perceive only with our senses, not to mention the fact that people judge in order to distinguish different types of person. On the order hand, supporters to this view claim that judging external aspect is unjustifiable. Moreover, they believe that it is almost impossible to know a person by looking at his features. Therefore, it is worth examining both points of view before reaching any conclusion.
To begin with, many opponents argue that appearance is the key to success in social events or important interviews, given that individuals are accepted or rejected by their external aspects. That is, having a good appearance may help people to success in their society. Furthermore, some may say that to sit in judgment about a person’s trait is innate of human beings. This means that our first perception of the world is through our senses. In a way or another, appearance may not be vital but it influences our acceptance or rejection of our fellow human beings. In effect, a neat hairdo, sober or elegant garments, polished shoes predispose us to welcome a stranger in our midst. Instead, an unshaven face, shabby clothes or muddy soles may tempt us to keep a distance between an outsider and ourselves.
On the other hand, it is often said that judging an individual because of his external features is unjustifiable. People are like small icebergs, since they do not reveal everything through clothes or ornaments. Thus, it could be important to go deeper to know what others really are. However, many support that we – human beings – should be shrewd enough to see through people, to grasp the hints. That is, individuals send messages through their appearance; in fact, sometimes weird outlooks can hide a hideous, somber personality that is not easily to be perceived by others.
For the above mentioned reasons, therefore, I believe that one should not judge external appearance given that individuals are so complex that it would be almost impossible to really know them based on their features.

2007-06-15T21:57:00.000-03:00

Negative consequences of the freedom of the press

An issue which frequently generates heated opinions is the freedom of the press. Although the freedom of the press offers people the possibility of expressing their opinions and beliefs, it cannot be denied that it may carry negative consequences, as it could be harmful for international relations, it could give biased information and it could interfere in individuals’ lives. In my opinion the press is necessary to certain degree although it produces many negative consequences.
To begin with, some people often say that the freedom of the media could be harmful for international relations. This means, that some offensive information could be given without thinking whether it causes resentment on the public. In fact, the freedom of the press does not respect other’s beliefs or opinions, causing political or religious problems between countries, as well as among people.
Secondly, it is assumed that the freedom of the media can provide biased information. Therefore, many citizens are influenced by this kind of information; that is, people who are unaware of the real situations are influenced by reporters’ thoughts and ideologies.
Thirdly, many skeptics believe that the freedom of the press may affect people’s lives. That is, the media usually interferes with people’s businesses and feelings; as a consequence individuals feel naked by the reporters’ inquiry. In fact, the media is not respectful with individuals’ privacy, as they inquire or record citizens in difficult and morbid situations with the only aim of increasing the number of spectators.
Taking these points into consideration, it could be said that the freedom of the press is necessary to a certain degree. However, those who make use of this freedom should think carefully about the information given and their consequences.

2007-06-15T21:56:00.000-03:00

Were past times better than modern ones?

It is often believed that past times were happier than modern ones. This issue frequently generates a great deal of heated debate, with supporters maintaining that in the past times there was a different lifestyle and they did not belong to a consumer society, whilst opponents claim that these days, not only people’s lives are more comfortable but they also live longer than those who lived in the past time thanks to the improvements made in the field of medicine.
Firstly, supporters suggest that past times were happier than the modern ones given that the past generation usd to live in a society where people were not overwrought, as nowadays. This means that previous generations were able to enjoy their activities better; they found pleasure both in their jobs and in their leisure time, since people lived in a different lifestyle. They did not worry about losing their jobs and they used to spend more time with their relatives. Apart from this, the consumer society had not trapped everybody in a dreadful net. Therefore, individuals were not influenced by this 20th century phenomenon which was expanded by the media. That is, they were not concerned about obtaining the latest fashionable gadget or garment, as today’s individuals do.
On the other hand, it may be said that modern times are much happier than the past ones. To begin with this, many usually claim that technology has developed unimaginable electronic appliances, which ease daily work. Regarding health, many improvements have been achieved in order to save lives, as well as to prevent illnesses. In fact, thanks to progress in this field people have long-healthy lives, and lifespan has lengthened far beyond the wildest dreams of people one century ago.
Taking both sides of the argument into consideration, it may be said that many features of past times contributed in order to make life happy. However, it could not be denied that modern times offer us a more comfortable and healthy world thanks to technology and the improvements made in the field of medicine.

2007-06-15T21:50:00.000-03:00

MONEY RULES THE WORLD

Money rules the world a matter of considerable controversy at present is the fact whether money rules the world. There is not doubt that money offers people with the possibility to have access to basic necessities as health and education as well. However, while money is seemed as a requirement in order to have a comfortable life, it cannot be denied that money is often believed to be the main cause for conflicts among people, what is more among countries.
To start with it, many support the view that money enables people to fulfil their necessities which range from basic human necessities, for instance food and clothes, to unimaginable sophisticated things, such as jewellery and masterpieces of sculpture or painting. Furthermore, it is often argued that money influences in people’s relations. This is clearly shown by the fact that wealthy businessmen are more respected than ordinary people. Another major advantage of money is that it is believe to be vital for survival given that in the field of medicine many improvements were achieved in order to save lives thanks to the opportunities offered by money.
On the other hand, many people claim that one of the factors in life, which is more important than money, is health. Despite the fact that those who are in high income and are able to afford the best medical care for their relatives, who suffer from terminal diseases, money does not give guarantee for a longer healthy life. Finally, an additional drawback of money is the clash that it causes among people, not to mention the fact that money is the main cause of conflicts between countries. It is generally suggested to many wars were started by powerful countries with the intention of gaining more economic powers. Therefore, many people who live in a powerless country are deprived of the means to obtain proper nutrition and health care.
Taking everything into account, the obvious conclusion to be drawn is that money rules the world given that money is necessary to fulfil our basic necessities and to improve health cares, as well. However, I firmly think that money does not provide us with a longer or better life due to the fact that money is not the solution to many things as terminal diseases or to have peace in our world.

2007-05-01T22:14:00.000-03:00

We should know idiomatic expression!!!

Catalina: Hi! John, is an awful day, isn’t?
John: yes, it’s raining cats and dogs!
Catalina: Really? (Looking above) I don’t see anyone.

Horacio: Look at what I bought yesterday!
David: wow, you may have spent a lot of money on these!
Horacio: yeah
David: you shouldn’t waste so much money; you should save for a rainy day…
Horacio: (confused) but instead of bills, an umbrella is better!

2007-05-01T22:10:00.000-03:00

HOME-SCHOOLING

From ancient times, home-schooling was a common way of educating children, who belonged to wealthy families, since only they were able to receive educational instruction. However, home-schooling is becoming an alternative for children, especially in Europe and the United States, since bullying and racial discrimination are social problems difficult to deal with. Not only bullying and discrimination but also the fact of living in remote places, home-schooling is the only option for education. Despite the fact that, it is known that there exist parents who choose this option as a way of improving children education and this enables them to have an ESL level. From my point of view, as a home-teacher, I would say that home-schooling is a excellent choice, given that an American home-schooling curriculum enfolds many subjects, raging from Art and History to Math and Geometry, which may widen the students’ knowledge. What is more, most of the lessons are given through multimedia resources, as the Internet.
Taking everything into consideration, it could be said, from my point of view, that home-schooling is a worthily and valuable experience that students, from 3 years to 13 years old or more, would be able to accomplish and at the same time to become an ESL learner.

2007-05-01T22:03:00.000-03:00

A yellowish poem

Rays shining over the sunflowers
Where a canary escaped from a cage,
Stood on one of them
Singing the most beautiful song ever heard

It was midday, sun as a huge ball of fire
Shone on the lemons hanging from the tree
The shadow was cool and she was sitting there
Flicking through yellowish pages
As a gift from his grandpa

Blonde girl looked up for a moment
Gazing, appreciating, and guessing
What it did meant
The deafen, beautiful singing
Shook her heart
She could feel freedom in her hands

2007-04-11T14:04:00.000-03:00

Describing me

Nora doesn’t have many friends because it’s difficult for her to trust on people. However, she offers a friendly smile every time she meets someone. Nora can be jealous of the people that she loves since she is selfish. Although, she seems to be confident, she’s afraid of many things.

The everyday objects have woken up!!!

One morning, the little woman, whose name I don’t know (you can choose one) opened the door of her little cottage and what a surprised! Every room has been swept! Suddenly, she saw the broom running in a hurry towards the backyard. The woman was so astonished that she went to the living room to phone her friend but she couldn’t since the telephone told her “sorry I’m talking with my old friend who lives in the corner”. The little woman got in the kitchen to have a cup of tea and what a surprised! The fridge was dancing with the cook while the spoons and the lids of the pots were playing a deafening music. At the same time the kettle was talking with her friend the toaster because they were annoyed about the way they were treated the morning when the family overslept.
The woman thinking that she was getting mad opened the door and ran away as the door and the daisies of the garden said to her GOOD BYE!!!

Why don’t I remember the name of my teachers?

Last week, I came back to my secondary school in order to obtain a certificate. As I went up stairs from the first entry, I was able to perceive that particular smell, a mix of wood, old books…, which are – for me – characteristic of that place. In that moment memories came to my mind from my classmates, and unforgettable moments. I still remember my first day at that school; it seemed to be bigger that it is. I still remind my classmates; those who were my friends, those who were not my friends…I remember those silly things that we – my friends and I- used to do. I can still remember almost everything. However, I can not remember the name of my teachers, I remember them by their physical appearance but not their names; and ask why. May be because they were not significant for me, may be because they were only immersed in their subjects and not in our interests. This is one thing which makes me think about why I am studying to be a teacher. Not only I want to get a degree to teach English but also to make my students to enjoy learning English, by making the classes memorable, by being interested on their problem, by teaching them that there are others outside and that they are not alone.

Reality shows truth or voyeurism

Reality shows is an issue which frequently generates heated debates, with some people who claim that reality shows exhibit real people’s lives whilst others argue that reality shows reflect a kind of voyeurism, that is, people watch these programmes because they are reflected on what they watch. Therefore, it is worth examining both sides of the arguments before venturing an opinion.
To start with, it is often said that reality shows display people’s true lives on the screen; that is, the participants of this kind of TV programme revel their weaknesses, given that they are isolated and hence, more vulnerable. Furthermore, many argue that it is almost impossible for the individuals to hide their inner side. Thus, they are observed during the whole day for a period of about six months. Unlike many fictional TV programmes which develop stories based on unreal facts reality shows display before the eyes of spectators a sort of X-ray of people’s lives. In fact, these programmes reflect on problems, weaknesses and necessities of “naked” human beings. Therefore, spectators may feel tempted to sympathise with those poor souls who are trapped in a house sharing only their human nature.
On the other hand, many sceptics believe that reality shows are sheer voyeurism. This means that many people in modern society have a superficial view about reality. Therefore, they enjoy watching boring daily routines, which lack interesting arguments, performed by the participants. What is more, it may be said that spectators usually tend to identify with the participants’ actions and behaviours. In fact, spectators could spend hours in front a television watching reality shows.
Taking both sides of the argument, it could be said that reality shows permit people to watch participants’ lives without censorship. However, it cannot be denied that this kind of TV programme is useless given that it does not offer people the possibility of personal growth. In short, participants as well as viewers participate consciously and purposefully in a perverse game which leads only to create and emphasize loneliness and self-pity.

Alternative medicine

For many years, natural medicine has been an alternative to people’s health problems. However, this kind of medicine is a matter of considerable controversy in these days.
To start with, it is said that alternative medicine makes use of natural resources to treat illnesses without producing addictions on people. Therefore, natural medicine, as aromatherapy and homeopathy could be consumed by individuals for a long period of time. Another major advantage of natural medicine is that it is believed to be a good alternative for those who have negative reactions to determinate drugs.
On the other hand, opponents to alternative medicine state that it is not reliable since this kind of medicine has not been scientifically tested. That is, although natural medicine is said to heal some individuals’ illnesses, this method is not backed up by official-medical systems. Furthermore, many individuals who claim to be alternative doctors are not medically qualified; since the do not have a degree which endorses their knowledge about medicine.
Taking both sides of the arguments into consideration, it could be said that natural medicine is an option to consider since it does not provoke secondary effects. However, it cannot be denied that individuals should be aware of those “doctors” who practise alternative medicine because most of them are not medically qualified. Therefore, natural medicine is a natural method of healing illnesses that should be taken as an alternative without putting conventional medicine aside.

Should patriotism be encouraged?

Over the years, mankind has recognized the need for personal and nation identity. This issue frequently generates strong opinions. There are some people who claim that individuals should encourage patriotism in order to mould people’s identities, to differentiate themselves from other nations, as well as to be proud of being part of their own nation and its citizens. In my opinion, I believe that patriotism should be encouraged and it should not be ignored if we want to set boundaries between other cultures and ours.
To begin with, some people suggest that individuals should encourage their children to appreciate more their cultural heritage, with the aim of moulding their identities. That is, children should learn their nation’s traditions, customs and its folklore. Therefore, children would widen their knowledge about their own culture.
Secondly, it is often said that society ought to keep their own traditions and practicing them, without denying their own roots. Thus, they could differentiate themselves from other nations. This mean, society ought to revive its traditions instead of acquiring other countries’ customs, as Saint Valentine’s Day or Saint Patrick’s Day; on the contrary dwellers should continue ancient traditions as La fiesta de la Pachamama.
Thirdly, many often argue that government and official organisms ought to have as one of their main goals to revive patriotism. Thus, they should commemorate events that have contributed to build a nation. In this way individuals would be proud of being part of their nation.
Taking these points into consideration, I would say that patriotism ought to be persuaded in order to have a “free” nation without the influence of other cultures. What is more patriotism is not an individual’s feeling but it is a feeling which belongs to the whole society.