After Exams DRINK :)

Hello All,
I'm sure you are working hard before our exams, but did anyone thought about well deserved drink we all  should have on Thursday, after having passed our oral exam?
I hope the weather will improve till then, so we can possibly have a sit in of the pub garden in Kazimierz.
What do you think ???

AQUARIUM

If you ever visit Turkey, Istanbul I recommend you to see the AQUARIUM. It is really breath taking experience.
Pls. see the sharks. It was a great pleasure for me to meet them today ;)

BRUNCH

I've just learnt a new word from my friend, who invited me to brunch, which is a late breakfast.
I never heard it before....  well, we live- we learn :)

Precis 11: Cell phone use can increase possible cancer risk

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/05/31/who.cell.phones/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_cnn

• hazard - something that may be dangerous, or cause accidents or problems, eg. Polluted water sources are a hazard to/for wildlife. The health/safety hazard posed by lead in petrol.

• carcinogenic - likely to cause cancer, eg. a carcinogenic substance

• established - already in use or existing for a long period of time, eg. well-established teaching methods, By 1969 the civil rights movement was already an established fact.

• peer - [usually plural] formal your peers are the people who are the same age as you, or who have the same type of job, social class etc, eg. American children did less well in math than their peers in Japan.Staff members are trained by their peers.

• factor (cause/influence) - one of several things that influence or cause a situation, eg. The vaccination program has been a major factor in the improvement of health standards. The weather could be a crucial factor in tomorrow's game.

• essentially - used when stating the most basic facts about something [= basically], eg. Ballet is essentially a middle-class interest. Suicide rates have remained essentially unchanged. 

• prominent - 1 important, eg. a prominent Russian scientist, 2. something that is in a prominent place is easily seen, eg. The statue was in a prominent position outside the railway station.3. something that is prominent is large and sticks out, eg. a prominent nose.

• urge - to strongly suggest that someone does something, eg. I got a note from Moira urging me to get in touch.

• rural - happening in or relating to the countryside, not the city [≠ urban], eg. A rural setting. Rural bus routes 

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According to the World Health Organization, radiation cell phones can possibly cause cancer.It is considered to be the same carcinogenic hazard as lead, engine exhaust and chloroform. Scientists found some evidence of increase in some brain cancers among people using the cell phones. The type of radiation coming out of them is called non-ionizing and it is like a low-powered microwave one, so what it does to the brain is just cooking it, like the food is cooked in microwave, which might also lead to cognitive memory function. Mobiles are a specially dangerous to the children, as their skull and scalp is thinner, so the radiation can penetrate deeper into their brain. Also, their cells are dividing at the faster rate, so the growth of cancer can be faster as well. Therefore, some mobile phone manufacturers  already warn their consumers to keep their device away from their body. It is also advised to text instead of talking, so to keep the devise far from your head. To be on the safe side, it is wise to avoid use of the cell phones while in elevators, building and rural areas, where the signal is weak and the device has to work harder giving more radiation.

Precis 10: ADHD symptoms can be a sign of excess sugar and boredom

http://www.naturalnews.com/032247_ADHD_sugar.html

• disengaged - not involved with or interested in something or someone, and feeling separate from them [≠ engaged], eg. teenagers who are depressed or disengaged from their families

• disruptive - causing problems and preventing something from continuing in its usual way, eg. Night work can be very disruptive to home life.Ways to handle disruptive pupils

• fidgety - unable to stay still, especially because of being bored or nervous, eg. The boys get fidgety if they can't play outside 

• acclimate (US) acclimatize (UK) - to become used to a new place, situation, or type of weather, or to make someone become used to it, eg. Runners had to acclimatize to the humid tropical conditions.I found it hard to acclimatize myself to working at weekends. 

• argumentative - someone who is argumentative often argues or likes arguing, eg. He quickly becomes argumentative after a few drinks.

• degenerative - a degenerative illness gradually gets worse and cannot be stopped[↪ progressive]

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Children showing ADHA symptoms might be diagnosed wrong with that disorder. Even worse, they might be placed on medications without needing them. Medications effects are just temporary and the child can acclimate to it, so it is no longer covering up the symptoms. It would be wiser to find out what the real cause of the symptoms might be. In so many cases, the children are hyperactive, shoving the attention deficit and being argumentative, after having consumed refined sugar. Another cause of that behaviour might be a boredom in the classroom.What can help to minimize the hyperactivity and lack of attention is Tai Yi, an ancient form of Chinese hands-on energy work that can be described as similar to acupuncture or acupressure. There is a special treatment called Sugar Dragon and it can assist the person to release a sugar addiction and to understand why he or she carries the addiction.

 

Happy Mother's Day

All the best to all of you who are the mothers. 

May the day be filled with happiness.

Below is my sleeping angel :) This time of the day all mothers love the most.

My Travels - St. Helena Island

Guess what? The discussion with Mrs. Krajewska about philosophies of Napoleon and Hitler, made me think about choosing my next travel post. This time it will be about St. Helena Island, where Napoleon spent the last six years of his life in confinement by the British.

The Island is situated in the South Atlantic Ocean. It was discovered in 1502 by the Portuguese admiral, João da Nova. He built a timber chapel in the valley which later became the site of Jamestown.

I had been trying to summarize the history of the Island for you, but after a while of doing so, I realised that it will take me more time than writing the précis, so.... if someone wants to get deeper knowledge, here is the link with some facts about St. Helena : http://www.sthelena.se/history/history.htm

What I remember the most, were the contradictory landscapes I saw there. At the bottom of the Island  it seemed like a hell, like nobody could live and survive there, as it was only made of dark volcanic rocks.

Then we had to climb "million" stairs in order to get to the higher level, where from the taxi took us for the trip around the Island. As we drove deeper inland, the landscape was changing gradually, showing  us the charm of this place. It was becoming greener and more beautiful . On the way to Napoleon's house we stopped by his grave, which was placed on a small valley surrounded by very green hills with lots of beautiful flowers. The house that he lived in is transformed to museum these days, so we were able to see it inside. I was surprised to see in what small bed Napoleon slept in. It made me wonder, whether he fitted in it. I heard he was a short man, but I didn't know his exact height, so I checked it up. He was 168cm.

I liked the Island, but I don't think I could live there for a long time. It had to be hard for Napoleon too ;)

Bottom of the Island

The stairs.

Inland

Napoleon's Grave

 

Napoleon's House

Napoleon's Bed

Precis 9: How nuclear disaster forced Japan to be frugal with energy

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2011/may/12/nuclear-japan-frugal-energy

• a shortfall - the difference between the amount you have and the amount you need or expect , eg. Parents have been asked to pay £30 each to cover the shortfall in the budget. An estimated shortfall of about £1 million

• sustained - continuing for a long time, eg. A period of sustained economic development. A sustained attack on the government

• considerable - fairly large, especially large enough to have an effect or be important, eg. We've saved a considerable amount of money. Michael has already spent considerable time in Barcelona.

• frugal - careful to buy only what is necessary [≠extravagant], eg. As children we were taught to be frugal and hard-working. He led a remarkably frugal existence.

• blazing - 1 extremely hot, eg.a blazing August afternoon. 2. full of strong emotions, especially anger, eg.He jumped to his feet in a blazing fury.

• a grid – 1. a metal frame with bars across it. 2. the network of electricity supply wires that connects power stations and provides electricity to buildings in an area, eg. the national grid (=the electricity supply in a country)

• a livelihood - the way you earn money in order to live, eg. Fishing is the main source of livelihood for many people in the area. It's difficult to earn a livelihood as an artist.

• reluctant - slow and unwilling, eg. She gave a reluctant smile. Maddox was reluctant to talk about it. 

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After Fukushima power plant explosion it was decided not to build more nuclear reactors in Japan. Prime Minister Naoto Kan says that supply of electricity can be sustained by investing more in renewables. Japanese were also asked to use less power and they are doing so. The frugal actions, such as limiting the use of elevators and escalators in shopping malls have been implemented. Neon signs and restaurant lights have been dimmed. Convenience stores are close late at night. Ordinary people also started to save the electricity by changing their bad habits of living the lights or TV in the empty rooms or over-using the heating system. It is hoped that people will be continuing this kind of actions. In Fukushima, many people have turned against nuclear power, which has ruined their livelihoods. However, renewables might make up the gap. On the other hand, that will need time, land and money that Japan will struggle to find after a disaster and an economic crisis. Looking at Japanese difficult situation, we should all start to think of how much electricity is wasted on the daily basis and what we can do to change it.

Rain

I hope the weather will get better soon. It is quite depressing to sit by the window ( that's where my desk with computer is placed) and watch the pouring rain. My son takes it in the positive way. He says that the flowers and trees are happy and they will grow better. He doesn't mind the rain at all.  I've just decided to follow my child and find something nice about the rain... and I searched for the song which I like very much

" Rain" by Madonna.

I'm sitting and enjoying the song now, watching the rain drops on my window at the same time :)

Precis 8: SlutWalking

SlutWalking gets rolling after cop's loose talk about provocative clothing

Lecture to Toronto students ignites protests across Canada and US at culture of blaming rape victims

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/06/slutwalking-policeman-talk-clothing

• unwittingly - in a way that shows you do not know or realize something, eg.Friedmann had unwittingly broken the law.
• blandly (adverb) from bland [= dull] : without any excitement, strong opinions, or special character, boring  eg. a few bland comments. When talking about bland food it means that has very little taste.
• to bolster - 1.to help someone to feel better and more positive, eg. He is making a bold attempt to bolster the territory's confidence. 2.to improve something, eg. his efforts to bolster his career.
• a riposte - (formal) a quick, clever reply to something that someone has said, eg. a suitably witty riposte
• a patriarchy - 1. a social system in which men have all the power  2. a social system in which the oldest man rules his family and passes power and possessions on to his sons.
• to grovel [intransitive, =crawl] to praise someone a lot or behave with a lot of respect towards them because you think that they are important and will be able to help you in some way - used to show disapproval, grovel to, eg. I had to really grovel to the bank manager to get a loan.
• to belittle someone, sth - (formal) to make someone or something seem small or unimportant, eg. He tends to belittle her efforts.
• an ally - someone who helps and supports you when other people are trying to oppose you, eg. She knew she had found an ally in Ted. 
• a proclivity - (formal) a tendency to behave in a particular way, or to like a particular thing - used especially about something bad, proclivity to/towards/for, eg.The child showed no proclivity towards aggression. His sexual proclivities.
• to strut - to walk proudly with your head high and your chest pushed forwards, showing that you think you are important, eg. I strutted around Chicago as if I were really somebody.
• to holler - [informal especially American English, = yell] to shout loudly 
  ****************************************************************************************
  After a policeman Michael Sanguinetti adresses 10 students in Canada in the pep talk and told them that woman should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimised, a movement called "SlutWalking" was born and has gone international in reposte to his loose talk. It is attracting the ones who don't accept blaming the victims. People signed up via facebook and twitter to attend the SlutWalks in USA, Argentina, Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden and the UK.
  The police officer admitted that the comment should  never be made and what's more, shall not to be repeated, but there is no holding back the SlutWalkers now. The first one was held in Toronto in April, where participants carried placards saying "Met a slut today? Don't assault her," "Sluts pay taxes" and "We're here, we're sluts, get used to it." They all wanted to express the belief that rape is about the rapist, not his victim. The SlutWalks are the most popular among the college students.
  The US government's Centres for Disease Control and Prevention found that up to one in four women in US universities report having experienced an attempted or completed rape while in college. 
  The SlutWalks motto: " being a slut and getting pissed off" – proclaims that the word "slut" is being reappropriated. The Slut Walkers appeal to come and walk with them.
  
  
  
  

My Travels - Australia's Wild Life

Going with the stream of my travel adventures, here comes the one about my visit to Tasmanian Wild Life Park in  Australia.

It was so interesting to see Kangaroos, which were unbelievably "not wild". They were coming to us and waiting to be fed. Also, the view and the experience of holding Koala Bear was very memorable. I dreamt to do it since I was a child and I have to say, the bear is really like a toy- cute, warm and friendly. You just have to be careful, because it has very sharp nail  and while the bear clutch to you, it really scratches.

As the park was situated in Tasmania, the main attraction was the Tasmanian Devil, which is rarely found these days and it is protected under Australian preservation I didn't like it's appearance at all though.

Another Tasmanian animal I saw there, was a bear called Wombat, very cute creature. Wombats dig extensive burrow systems with rodent-like front teeth and powerful claws. One distinctive adaptation of wombats is their backwards pouch. The advantage of a backwards-facing pouch is that when digging, the wombat does not gather dirt in its pouch over its young.

Here it comes the photo of Tasmanian Devil:

Here I'm petting the baby kangaroo:

and here comes the meeting with Koala Bear:

and at last - Wombat:

 

My Travels - Hobbiton

Yesterday Grammar Classes gave me inspiration to post some info about the place I visited once, which is situated on the most picturesque private farmland near Matata in the North Island of New Zealand. It is called Hobbiton and it is the place when The Lord of the Rings film trilogy was shot.
There are spectacular views across to the Kaimai Ranges from the hills. The place is an tourist attraction as well as a sheep and beef farm.
I was amazed with the amount of green grass on the hills, strange big trees, bushes and an incredibly fresh air. The Hobbiton itself wasn't so interesting to me, as I didn't even read or watched the story about these creatures. I believe I will learn some things about them from the grammar test ... ;)

I don't have my own photos from there, as I lost them all after my computer crashed few years ago :(
From then on I try to back up it up from time to time :)
I found some nice pictures of the place for you thought...

Precis 7: Aretha Franklin to release a new album

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/apr/27/aretha-franklin-first-album-eight-years

 

• a resolve - (formal) strong determination to succeed in doing something, eg. Recent events strengthened her resolve to find out the truth.
• to undergo - if you undergo a change, an unpleasant experience etc, it happens to you or is done to you, eg. The country has undergone massive changes recently. He has been released from prison to undergo medical treatment.
•  to feature-  to include or show something as a special or important part of something, or to be included as an important part, eg.The exhibition features paintings by Picasso.  A cruise ship featuring extensive spa facilities
• a pancreas - a gland inside your body, near your stomach, that produces insulin and a liquid that helps your body to use the food that you eat. 
• the boomers - people born during a period when a lot of babies were born, especially between 1946 and 1964
• contemporary - belonging to the present time [= modern], eg.  contemporary music, art, dance. Life in contemporary Britain. An exhibition of contemporary Japanese prints

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Aretha Franklin, at her 68 has announced that she will independently release her new album ARETHA: A Woman Falling Out of Love next week on May 3, 2011. Since then till 3of June it will be available only through Walmart-US retailer. After that  it will be sold  through digital services and other shops. It is her first album in 8 years. Unlike 3 previous the self-titled albums, this one is being made through "Aretha Records" and she produced most of it herself. She also got help in production from her sons. Aretha is saying that the album will be sentimental and contemporary the same time. It  includes Theme from a Summer Place, gospel hymn His Eye Is On the Sparrow, and a version of BB King's Sweet Sixteen and the bonus track is a live recording of Franklin performing at Barack Obama's presidential inauguration in 2009, singing My Country, 'Tis of Thee.

The singer encourages the women to cherish their life when falling out love. In the lyrics she gives them some tips how to achieve this state of mind.

She was reported to be suffering from pancreatic cancer last year, but in January, 2011 she claimed that the problem has been resolved.

Precis 6: Star Wars 'People wanted to live onscreen'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2011/apr/19/gary-kurtz-star-wars

 

• to captivate - to attract someone very much, and hold their attention, eg. He was captivated by her beauty.
• an archetype of - a perfect example of something, because it has all the most important qualities of things that belong to that type, eg. France is the archetype of the centralized nation-state ; Archetypal (adj), eg. Byron was the archetypal Romantic hero. 
• to steamroller UK, steamroll US ( informal) - to make sure something happens by using all your power and influence, or to defeat your opponents badly, eg. He steamrollered the bill through Parliament against fierce opposition.
• a crossover - 1 [countable]A the change a popular performer makes from working in one area of entertainment to another:, eg. J-Lo has made a crossover from music to the movies.  2 [uncountable and countable] the fact of liking, using, or supporting different types of things or groups, eg. There's some crossover between the musical genres. 
• mainstream  [adjective only before noun] - accepted by or involving most people in a society, eg. Deaf children can often be included in mainstream education. The mainstream political parties.
• a niche -1 [countable] if you find your niche, you find a job or activity that is very suitable for you, eg. Amanda soon found her niche at the club. He's managed to create a niche for himself in local politics. 2 [singular] nich in-  an opportunity to sell a product or service to a particular group of people who have similar needs, interests etc, eg.He spotted a niche in the market.
• a prospect of  -[singular] a particular event which will probably or definitely happen in the future - used especially when you want to talk about how you feel about it , eg. The prospect of marriage terrified Alice. Greeks face the prospect of new general elections next month.
• hardcore - [adjective only before noun] having an extreme way of life or an extreme belief that is very unlikely to change, eg. a hard-core drug addict. Hard-core racists.

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Gary Kurtz, Star Wars producer used to say that Stay Wars is just the movie, but people got obsessed with it and wanted to live on-screen.

George Lucas, the movie director never thought that the film would attract so many devoted people.

Star Wars arrived in to the cinemas at the right time and became the hit at once, with 80% of box office made in the first two weeks.

What made the Star Wars different and special was the sound, designed by Ben Burtt, who used intricate combinations of different sounds, like R2-D2's bleeps or the laser effect created when the space ships fire at each other.These sound effects made the film stand out.

It would be difficult to make that kind of movie nowadays when it's  impossible to keep anything secret. People know too much about the movie before it is released.

In 1977 only a few thousand people knew about Star Wars when it first arrived in cinemas,but it spread like wildfire and soon there were queues at the cinemas everywhere.

 

 

After Easter

I enjoyed the Easter very much. Weather was great. We spent a lot of time out doors. I hope you all had good time with your families and friends.

My Travels - Easter Island

Talking about Easter, I would like to share with you some info about the EASTER ISLAND, which is situated on the Pacific Island. I was fortunate to visit it in 2002 and found it amazing, fascinating and beautiful.

I loved the landscape formed of pure nature which still remains there. It was on the Island, where I first saw wild horses. It was really interesting experience to see them running, in such big amount. They were free and beautiful.

That would do about my impression. Below I'm posting more facts about the Island itself.

 

Easter Island is over 2,000 miles from the nearest population center, (Tahiti and Chile), making  it one of the most isolated places on the Earth. A triangle of volcanic rock in the South Pacific- it is best known for the giant stone monoliths, known as Moai, that dot the coastline.

The early settlers called the island "Te Pito O Te Henua" (Navel of The World). Admiral Roggeveen, who came upon the island on Easter Day in 1722, named it Easter Island. Today, the land, people and language are all referred to locally as Rapa Nui.

There has been much controversy and confusion concerning the origins of the Easter Islanders. Thor Heyerdahl proposed that the people who built the statues were of Peruvian descent, due to a similarity between Rapa Nui and Incan stonework. Some have suggested that Easter Island is the remnant of a lost continent, or the result of an extra-terrestrial influence . Archaeological evidence, however, indicates discovery of the island by Polynesians at about 400 AD - led, according to legend, by Hotu Matua. Upon their arrival, an impressive and enigmatic culture began to develop. In addition to the statues, the islanders possessed the Rongorongo script; the only written language in Oceania. The island is also home to many petroglyphs (rock carvings), as well as traditional wood carvings, tapa (barkcloth) crafts, tattooing, string figures, dance and  music. 

  This is the picture of me on Easter Island

 

Behind the Moai, there is the ship I was working and traveling on, around the World

 

And here are the horses I was writing about 

 

Happy Easter :)

Precis 5:The woman addicted to eating sofas

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/03/31/real-life-the-woman-addicted-to-eating-sofas-115875-23026995/

• bizarre - very unusual or strange, eg. dancers in rather bizarre costumes, a bizarre coincidence.

• spare a thought for somebody - to think about another person who is in a worse situation than you are, eg. Spare a thought for Nick, who's doing his exams right now.

• intestine -  the long tube in your body through which food passes after it leaves your stomach [= gut] intestinal adjective ➔ large intestine, small intestine.

• obstruction - when something blocks a road, passage, tube etc, or the thing that blocks it [= blockage], eg. an operation to remove an obstruction from her throat, Police can remove a vehicle that is causing an obstruction.

• full-blown - having all the qualities of something that is at its most complete or advanced stage, eg. The drop in shares could develop into a full-blown crisis, full-blown AIDS, full-blown addiction.

• lumpy - covered with or containing small solid pieces, eg. lumpy bed, ground, face (grudkowaty)

• lopsided - having one side that is lower or heavier than the other, asymmetric., eg. a lopsided grin.

• magpie - a bird with black and white feathers and a long tail (sroka).

• to compel - to force someone to do something [↪ compulsion],eg. The law will compel employers to provide health insurance. She felt compelled to resign because of the scandal.She feels compelled to eat...

• craving - an extremely strong desire for something [↪ longing], eg. She had a craving for some chocolate. 

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   Adele Edwards, age of 30, is a woman who is craving for sponge, especially from sofa's cushions. She also eats household items, such as rubbers and elastic bands. She find it better than some other snacks, like for example chocolate or crisps. She is suffering from a recognized medical condition, diagnosed  with medical disorder called Pica. Its name derives from the Latin word for magpie, a bird that eats almost anything. Pica is seen in all people of all ages but is particularly common in pregnant ­women, small children, and those with developmental  disabilities. Adele's therapist suggested that she started to eat cushion as a reaction to her ­parents’ divorce, but Adele herself claims that she just like it, because it tastes great. 

She was first introduced to cushion when she was 10 years old, while playing with her cousin. He peeled apart the sofa and popped a piece of sponge  into his mouth like it was bubble gum. That's when she tried it first and ever since she has been addicted to it. Doctors have warned that she will leave her children motherless if she doesn’t give up, but she says she’s powerless to stop.

 

Premonition

Yesterday, while looking for the explanation of the word premonition I came across the title of the film, called exactly like this "Premonition" and decided to watch it.

It is about Linda Hanson (Sandra Bullock) who is going about her daily chores when a police officer arrives at her door to inform her that her husband, Jim (Julian McMahon), has been killed in a car accident. Linda is devastated and must inform her young daughters, Megan (Shyann McClure) and Bridgett (Courtney Taylor Burness). Her mother (Kate Nelligan) arrives to help out. By nightfall, Linda is exhausted and, grief-stricken, she curls up on the couch and falls asleep. She awakens the next morning to discover that not only is Jim alive but the calendar has been peeled back from Thursday to Monday. Gradually, as the days and nights pass, Linda discovers that she is no longer living life in a linear fashion. Instead of her days progressing sequentially from Sunday to Saturday, they are jumbled up, with the fulcrum being the day of Jim's death. Knowing what happens, can she stop the accident? Should she stop it?

I highly recommend this movie, as I found it very mysterious and interesting.

The conclusion on Dali's Presentation is ...

... that, as on his paintings same in life... everything may be perceived in so many different ways.
That's why it is sooo interesting and intriguing :)

Depression's Cure

I have noticed that so many people are depressed lately.
That's why I've decided to write my precis about one herb that is effective in curing depression and boosting good mood. I hope some of you'll  find it useful :)

I love....

... this weather :) My family and I spend  all afternoon strolling along the Vistula River yesterday. It made me feel soooo good. We're also planning to be out and about today ;)
I definitely shouldn't live in Poland, where winter lasts so long, or maybe... if I lived in warmer place, where climate is about the same most of the time (I mean warm), I would not really appreciate the spring and summer?
It was the case when I was working on the ship and we were sailing only on the Pacific Ocean and  Caribbean Sea or Gulf of Mexico during the winter and were coming to Europe or going to Alaska only for the summer. That time I was even missing the winter and skiing... Well, this is the human nature. We always want what we don't currently have.