On This Day … April 30: The Inauguration of George Washington

Taken from: "The Inauguration of George Washington, 1789," EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (2005).

The Constitution of the United States was ratified by the states in June 1788. In February of the following year the new nation's Electoral College selected George Washington to be its first President. On April 16, 1789 Washington began the journey from his home at Mount Vernon to New York City, then the nation's capital, where he would be inaugurated. Washington was reluctant to leave the serenity of his home and uncertain about his new position. His journal entry for that day noted:

"About 10 o'clock I bade adieu to Mount Vernon, to private life, and to domestic felicity, and with a mind oppressed with more anxious and painful sensations than I have words to express, set out for New York in company with Mr. Thompson, and Colonel Humphries, with the best dispositions to render service to my country in obedience to its call, but with less hope of answering its expectations."

His journey to New York City took seven days and was transformed into a triumphal procession by the crowds and local officials who greeted the new President along the way. Celebrations erupted at numerous towns along his route including Alexandria, Baltimore, Wilmington, Philadelphia and Trenton. Washington arrived at Elizabeth Town, NJ on April 23 where a ceremonial barge awaited to take him across the river to Manhattan.

Entrance into the City

Rudolph Von Dorsten was the Secretary of the Dutch Legation in New York City and describes Washington's entrance into the city:

"President George Washington made his entry into New York on Thursday, April 23d. On the previous day a barge left this city. The barge was built expressly by the citizens of New York, and was rowed by thirteen pilots, all dressed in white. A committee of three Senators and five Representatives on behalf of Congress, and three of the first officers on behalf of New York, went to Elizabethtown in New Jersey, to welcome the President, and to await his arrival there. His Excellency was also accompanied by some well-equipped sloops and by a multitude of small craft with citizens of New Jersey and New York on board.

A Spanish royal packet-boat, happening to be anchored at the entrance of the harbor, at sight of the barge, on board of which was the President, fired a signal-shot, whereupon that vessel was dressed at once with the flags of all nations. When the presidential barge passed, the Spanish vessel saluted his Excellency by firing thirteen guns, which was repeated by the Battery, and again thirteen guns were fired by the fort when the President landed.

His Excellency was received by Governor George Clinton, the mayor of the city and other officers, and, after a procession had formed, consisting of some companies of uniformed citizens and the merchants and other citizens of the city, the President walked with his escort and, Governor Clinton at his side, to the house prepared by Congress for his use."

Taking the Oath of Office

Washington remained at his New York residence for a week while the House and the Senate ironed out their differences over how the formal inauguration should be conducted. Finally, on April 30, Washington was escorted to Federal Hall on Wall Street and into the Senate Chamber. Washington, Vice President John Adams, the Senators and Representatives stepped out of the chamber onto a balcony overlooking the street filled with a cheering crowd. As there were as yet no Supreme Court Justices, the Oath of Office was administered by Chancellor Robert R. Livingstone - New York's highest ranking judge. After taking the oath, Washington and the others returned to the Senate Chamber where the new President gave a short speech.

William Maclay was a farmer, a lawyer and one of Pennsylvania's Senators. He kept a diary of his experiences. We pick up his story as Washington arrives at the Senate Chamber:

"The President advanced between the Senate and Representatives, bowing to each. He was placed in the chair by the Vice-President; the Senate with their president on the right, the Speaker and the Representatives on his left. The Vice-President rose and addressed a short sentence to him. The import of it was that he should now take the oath of office as President. He seemed to have forgot half what he was to say, for he made a dead pause and stood for some time, to appearance, in a vacant mood. He finished with a formal bow, and the President was conducted out of the middle window into the gallery, and the oath was administered by the Chancellor. Notice that the business done was communicated to the crowd by proclamation, etc., who gave three cheers, and repeated it on the President bowing to them.

As the company returned into the Senate chamber, the President took the, chair and the Senators and Representatives, their seats. He rose, and all arose also, and addressed them. This great man was agitated and embarrassed more than ever he was by the leveled cannon or pointed musket. He trembled, and several times could scarce make out to read, though it must be supposed he had often read it before.

He put part of the fingers of his left hand into the side of what I think the tailors call the fail of the breeches (corresponding to the modern side-pocket), changing the paper into his left (right) hand. After some time he then did the same with some of the fingers of his right hand.

When he came to the words all the world, he made a flourish with his right hand, which left rather an ungainly impression. I sincerely, for my part, wished all set ceremony in the hands of the dancing-masters, and that this first of men had read off his address in the plainest manner, without ever taking his eyes from the paper, for I felt hurt that he was not first in everything.

He was dressed in deep brown, with metal buttons, with an eagle on them, white stockings, a. bag, and sword."

References:
Van Dorsten's account was first published in Clarence Bowen (ed.) The History of the Centennial Celebration of the Inauguration of George Washington as First President of the United States (1892) republished in Paul Angle (ed.) The American Reader (1958); Senator Maclay's account appears in Bowling, Kenneth, Helen Vent (eds.) The Diary of William Maclay (1988); Jackson, Donald (ed) The Diaries of George Washington (1976-1979); Schecter, Stephen L. and Richard Bernstein (eds.) Well Begun: Chronicles of the Early National Period (1989).

Read George Washington’s First Inaugural Address!

On This Day … April 30: Birthday of Queen Mary II

Taken directly from: http://www.nndb.com/people/404/000093125/

Queen Mary II

AKA Mary Stuart

Born: 30 April 1662
Birthplace: St. James's Palace, London, England
Died: 28 December 1694
Location of death: Kensington Palace, London, England
Cause of death: Illness
Remains: Buried, Westminster Abbey, London, England

Gender: Female
Religion: Anglican/Episcopalian
Race or Ethnicity: White
Sexual orientation: Straight
Occupation: Head of State, Royalty

Nationality: England
Executive summary: Queen of England 1689-94

Mary II, Queen of England and wife of King William III, elder daughter of James, Duke of York, afterwards King James II, by his first wife, Anne, daughter of Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon, was born in London on the 30th of April 1662. She was educated as a Protestant, and as it was probable that she would succeed to the English throne after the deaths of her uncle, King Charles II, and her father, the choice of a husband for her was a political event of high importance. About 1672 the name of William, prince of Orange, was mentioned in this connection; and after some hesitation on both sides caused by the condition of European politics, the betrothal of William and Mary took place in October 1677, and was quickly followed by their marriage in London on the 4th of November.

Mary's married life in Holland does not appear to have been a happy one. Although she soon became popular among the Dutch, she remained childless, while William treated her with neglect and even with insult; and her troubles were not diminished after her father became King of England in 1685. James had treated his daughter very shabbily in money matters; and it was increasingly difficult for her to remain loyal to both father and husband when they were so divergent in character and policy. Although Mary never entirely lost her affection for her father the wife prevailed over the daughter; and after the birth of her half-brother, the Prince of Wales, in 1688, she regarded the dethronement of James as inevitable. It cannot be said, however, that William merited this confidence. Possibly he was jealous of his wife as the heiress of the English throne, contrasting her future position with his own; but according to Burnet, who was then staying at the Hague, this cause of difference was removed by the tactful interference of Burnet himself. The latter asserts that having divined the reason of the prince's jealousy he mentioned the matter to the princess, who in her ignorance of statecraft had never considered the relative positions of herself and her husband with regard to the English throne; and that Mary, by telling the prince she would be no more but his wife, and that she would do all that lay in her power to make him king for life (Burnet, Supplement, ed. Foxcroft, p. 309), probably mollified her husband's jealousy. On the other hand Macaulay's statement that henceforward there was "entire friendship and confidence" between them must be taken with some reserve. Mary shared heartily in the events which immediately preceded William's expedition to England in 1688. After the success of the undertaking she arrived in London in February 1689; and by her faithful adherence to her promise made a satisfactory settlement of the English crown possible. William and Mary were together proclaimed King and Queen of England, and afterwards of Scotland, and were crowned on the 11th of April 1689.

During the king's absence from England the queen, assisted by a committee of the privy council, was entrusted with the duties of government, duties which she performed faithfully, but which she gladly laid down on William's return. In these times of danger, however, she acted when necessary with courage and promptitude, as when in 1690 she directed the arrest of her uncle Henry Hyde, 2nd Earl of Clarendon; but she was constantly anxious for William's safety, and unable to trust many of her advisers. She was further distressed by a quarrel with her sister Anne in 1692 following the dismissal of Marlborough, and this event somewhat diminished her popularity, which had hitherto been one of the mainstays of the throne. Weak in body and troubled in mind, the queen died at Kensington Palace from smallpox on the 28th of December 1694, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Mary was a woman of a remarkably modest and retiring disposition, whose outstanding virtue was perhaps her unswerving loyalty to William. Burnet has passed a remarkable panegyric upon her character. She was extremely pious and charitable; her blameless private life was in marked contrast with her surroundings, both in England and Holland; without bigotry she was greatly attached to the Protestant faith and to the Church of England; and she was always eager to improve the tone of public morals, and to secure a better observance of Sunday. Greenwich Hospital for Seamen was founded in her honor.

Father: King James II
Mother: Lady Anne Hyde (d. 1671)
Sister: Queen Anne
Husband: King William III (King of England, m. 4-Nov-1677)

UK Monarch: 13 February 1689 to 28 December 1694

Cartoon: How the Bailout Really Works

Cartoon by Brian Duffy of the Des Moines Register published on 22 April 2009.

This cartoon criticizes the banks for not giving out loans after being bailed out by the government at the taxpayers’ expense. A bailout (in one word) is the money lent to an organization or a person in financial difficulty. To bail out (in two words) is the verb to describe this action.

A loan of course is the money a bank or someone lends you for a particular purpose which you will have to eventually pay back, often with interest. To lend is an irregular verb – lend, lent, lent.

Be careful with the expression ‘screw you.” It is often viewed as vulgar since it is a variation of ‘fuck you.’ It is an expression often said to someone in anger as in the above cartoon. To screw someone is an impolite way of saying to have sexual intercourse but it also means to be cheated or treated in an unfair way. Look at this sentence:

‘We were just screwed out of £20.’

Another verbal phrase that comes from ‘to screw’ is to screw around. This expression is used to describe someone who has a lot of sexual relations.  In a more mild and less offensive meaning, it can also describe someone who wastes a lot of time doing useless and silly things. You might say,

Quit screwing around and get back to work!

To screw up is not considered vulgar and is an idiomatic way of saying that you did something wrong and made a mistake.

He made a bad decision that screwed up his entire life.

I really screwed up this time, didn’t I?

Humor Spot: World's First IT Professionals

My dad sent me this funny little video of the world's first IT (information technology) professional when the world updated from the scroll (un rouleau de parchemin) operating system to the book operating system. LOL! I believe the video is in either Swedish or Norwegian but with English subtitles.

Cartoon: A Can of Worms

Cartoon by Gary Varvel of The Indianapolis Star-News published on 24 April 2009.

This cartoon is about the interrogation memos from the Bush era that President Obama decided to release. These secret memos describe the “enhanced interrogation”  techniques used by the CIA and the intelligence gathered from the interrogations.

The political left wanted the memos released in hopes of creating anger against what they called torture. The political right wanted the memos released to show that these techniques did reveal valuable information that kept America safe. It has caused a real debate in the American media but the release of these memos hasn’t really had the desired affect that either side wanted. The debate seems to be taking place more in the media than among the public.

The cartoonist is saying the Obama has opened a can of worms.  This means that Obama took a political risk by releasing these memos. A can of worms is a common expression in English used to describe a situation that is very complicated and risks becoming troublesome. To open a can of worms means that you do something that will cause a lot of problems and is probably going to cause more trouble that it is really worth.

There is a caterpillar (une chenille) in the cartoon because one of “enhanced” techniques involved placing a prisoner, particularly one afraid of insects,  in a “confinement box” with an insect he was told could sting him. In reality, the interrogators put a caterpillar.

Read more in the news:

- Bush Administration Interrogation Memos: The Techniques (Telegraph.co.uk)

- The Torture Controversy (American Thinker)

- Misconceptions About the Interrogation Memos (The Wall Street Journal)

- Cheney Calls for Release of Memos Showing Results of Interrogation Efforts (Fox News)

- Interrogation Memos Detail Harsh Tactics by the C.I.A. (The New York Times)

- In CIA Visit, Obama Defends Interrogation Memo Release (CNN)

- Controversy Erupts Over CIA Memos (Fox News)

Humor Spot: Final Farewell

Following a funeral service, the pallbearers are carrying the casket out of the church when they accidentally bump into a wall. From inside the coffin they hear a faint moan. Opening the lid, they find the man inside alive! He leaps out, performs a little jig, and lives another ten years before eventually keeling over.

Once again, a ceremony is conducted, and at the end, the pallbearers carry out the casket. As they head toward the doors of the church, the wife of the deceased leaps to her feet and shouts, "Watch the wall!"

bump into – rentrer dans

casket – un cercueil

coffin – un cercueil

deceased – le défunt/la défunte

jig – une gigue

keel over – s’écrouler

leap – bondir, sauter

moan – un gémissement

pallbearer – un porteur de cercueil

Love & Marriage in America’s Past: Singular Problems

Marriage may be an honorable state, but throughout US history it took the law or public censure to persuade many Americans to indulge.

Be married, or be fined. So said the city council of Fort Dodge, Iowa, when, in 1907, it passed a law requiring everyone between the ages of 25 and 45 to wed – or else.

As extreme as the measures seemed at that late date, however, it would have been entirely normal in Colonial America, where public censure ensured that unmarried adults remained a rarity. In 17^th century New England, “antient maids” of 25 were labeled a “dismal spectacle.” And in North Carolina, one newspaper declared them “never-to-be-pleased, good for nothing creatures.” Single women usually had no choice but to live with relatives, where they might spend their lives spinning flax and wool for the family; hence the name spinster. The epithets thornback, stale Maid, and antique virgin also were commonly applied.

Bachelors fared every bit as badly. Viewed as suspect or even criminal, they were spied upon by the local constabulary and penalized to make sure they would enjoy less freedom as bachelors than they would if married. Unattached men were taxed in Maryland and Connecticut. And in 1695 the (evidently) bird-infested burg of Eastham, Massachusetts, required that “every unmarried man in the township shall kill six blackbirds or three crows while he remains single.” On the other hand, town fathers in New England sometimes sweetened the deal for bachelors, offering them free home sites if they succumbed to wedlock.

blackbird noun [countable] = un merle

crow noun [countable] = un corbeau

constabulary noun [British - countable] the police of a particular place

dismal adjective very bad a dismal performance/record

ensure verb [transitive] to make certain that something happens or gets done Our new system ensures that everyone gets paid on time.

fare verb [formal] used for saying how well or how badly someone does something We now have a much better picture of how schools are faring. The party didn’t fare as well in the local elections.

fine verb [transitive] to make someone pay an amount of money as punishment for breaking the law She was fined £250 for speeding.

flax noun [uncountable] = le lin

hence adverb [formal] used for introducing  something that is a result of the fact that has just been stated His grandfather was Greek, hence the last name. Alcohol can cause liver failure and hence death.

label verb [transitive] to use a word or phrase to describe someone or something, especially one that is not completely faire or true We shouldn’t label these boys as criminals so early in their lives. Her latest movie has been labeled a disaster by the critics.

or else expression [mainly spoken] used for threatening someone; used when you do not say what you are threatening to do You’d better do as we tell you, or else!

relative noun [countable] a member of your family, especially one who does not live with you,  for example a grandparent or a cousin We spent the week visiting the relatives.

single adjective not married, or not in a romantic relationship Please state whether you are single, married or divorced.

spectacle noun [countable] an embarrassing event Congress is keen to avoid the spectacle of sending government workers home.

spin verb [intransitive/transitive] to twist fibers of a material such as cotton or wool into thread in order to make cloth She spins all her own wool.

succumb verb [intransitive] to lose your ability to fight against someone or something, and allow them to control or persuade you First they said no, but eventually they succumbed. She succumbed to temptation and ordered a glass of wine.

sweeten verb [transitive] to make something such as an offer or a deal seem more attractive in order to persuade someone to accept it

town father / city father noun [countable] a member of a city or town’s council

unattached adjective not married or not having a boyfriend or girlfriend

wed verb [transitive/intransitive] to marry someone

wedlock noun [old-fashioned – uncountable] the state of being married He was born out of wedlock (= his parents weren’t married)

wool noun [uncountable] thick hair that grows on sheep and some other animals

ESL Pod: Being in Debt

Alas, this podcast is probably too relevant to a lot of us considering the economic downturn. This podcast has some excellent vocabulary for describing living in debt.

Here’s the link to the dialogue transcript and MP3 podcast download page: ESL Podcast 424 – Being in Debt

Cartoon: Sour Grapes

Cartoon by Jeff Parker of Florida Today published on 17 April 2009.

This cartoon criticizes the Tea Parties taking place all over the United States where demonstrators are protesting against high taxes and wasteful government spending. In the words of the cartoonist,

“I like a good protest (and loathe [exécrer] taxes) as much as the next guy, but I gotta admit, I wasn't all that impressed with Wednesday's rather lackluster (morne) "Tea Parties." Where was all the protesting about obscene government spending the last eight years? Seemed more like most were boiled-over more about Obama than taxes. IMO the whole thing smacked of (sentir) sour grapes.”

Sour grapes is an idiomatic expression that comes from Aesop’s story about the fox that could not reach the grapes he wanted to eat and thus announces that they are sour. In other words, sour grapes is the disparaging of something unattainable. The cartoonist wants to say that the protestors are simply angry because their party lost the election and is no longer in power.

IMO = In my opinion

 

Time Magazine: Obama’s First 100 Days Photo Essay

Obama’s 100 Days: Behind-the-Scenes Photos

Podcasts for ‘Action régionale – Session du printemps’ in Haguenau (updated 26 April 09)

These podcasts are targeted to the students in the Action Régionale in Haguenau and supplement the topics being covered in the course. To view the dialogue script and to listen to or download the MP3 file, go to the following links:

FROM ESLPOD.COM

ESL Podcast 41 - Tough Negotiations

ESL Podcast 42 - Formal Emails

ESL Podcast 43 - Getting an Interview

ESL Podcast 44 - Making a Good Impression

ESL Podcast 56 - Hiring for a Job

ESL Podcast 76 - Asking for and Giving Instructions

ESL Podcast 79 - Disagreeing Politely in a Business Setting

ESL Podcast 86 - Asking About Jobs

ESL Podcast 103 - Making a Sales Call

ESL Podcast 124 - Asking for Clarification in a Business Meeting

ESL Podcast 127 - Answering Machine Messages

ESL Podcast 132 - Getting Through on the Phone

ESL Podcast 135 - Scheduling a Meeting

ESL Podcast 146 - Suggestions at Work

ESL Podcast 162 - Training a New Employee

ESL Podcast 170 - Questions and Answers at a Presentation

ESL Podcast 181 – Company Profiles

ESL Podcast 184 – Running a Meeting

ESL Podcast 188 – Correcting Misunderstandings at Work

ESL Podcast 190 – Taking a Phone Message

ESL Podcast 193 – Placing a Business Order

ESL Podcast 200 – Meeting a Deadline

ESL Podcast 208 – Corporate Image

ESL Podcast 220 – Giving Opinions in a Meeting

ESL Podcast 243 – Speaking to a Store Clerk on the Phone

ESL Podcast 255 – Questions About a Product

ESL Podcast 280 – Viral Marketing

ESL Podcast 288 – A Business Contract

ESL Podcast 300 – Arriving for an Appointment

ESL Podcast 304 – A Potential Partnership Meeting

ESL Podcast 312 – Different Work Styles

ESL Podcast 332 – Profit and Loss

ESL Podcast 380 – Hiring Temp Workers

ESL Podcast 404 – Delegating Work

ESL Podcast 408 – Calling Someone You Haven’t Met About a Job

ESL Podcast 426 – Talking About Product Quality

ESL Podcast 436 – Dealing With an Angry Client

ESL Podcast 448 – Making Business Contacts

ESL Podcast 460 – Working in a Bad Economy

ESL Podcast 471 - Trying to Get Off the Phone

ESL Podcast 464 – Talking About Inventory

Also check out the podcasts at: http://www.businessenglishpod.com/

ESL Pod: Planting a Garden

It’s spring and it’s time to plant the garden, here’s a link to a MP3 podcast and  script about that very topic!! Check it out and don’t forget to check out the other great topics from www.eslpod.com

Here’s the link: ESL Podcast 419 – Planting a Garden

Note: the podcast is free but if you’d like the study guide, you’ll have to subscribe.

British Cuisine: Chicken & Mushroom Puff Pie

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 8 skinless boneless chicken thighs (les cuisses du poulet sans os et sans peau)
• 8 rashers smoked streaky bacon , cut into large pieces (du lard fumé coupé en gros dés)
• 1 onion , halved and sliced
• 250g pack baby button mushrooms
• handful thyme sprigs
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 400ml chicken stock (du bouillon de poulet)
• 200ml milk
• 500g pack fresh puff pastry , or frozen and defrosted (de la pâte feuilletée)
• 1 egg , beaten

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan (une poêle anti-adhésive). Season the chicken to taste and fry for 5-8 mins until golden brown, turning occasionally. You may need to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your pan. Lift the chicken onto a plate and tip the bacon into the pan. Fry for 5 mins until crisp. Add the onion, mushrooms and thyme, then fry on a high heat for another 3 mins until the onions start to colour.
2. Tip the flour into the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 min. With the pan off the heat, gradually stir or whisk (fouetter) in the stock, followed by the milk, then add the chicken back to the pan. Bring to the boil, then simmer (cuire à feu doux) for 30 mins. Spoon the filling into a large pie or baking dish (approx 20 x 30cm) with a lip and leave to cool.
3. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. On a floured surface, roll the pastry to the thickness of two £1 coins. Cut a long strip as wide as the rim of the pie dish and, using a little of the egg, fix to the edge of the pie dish. Brush with egg, then lift the rest of the pastry over the pie, using the rolling pin to help. Gently press the edges with your fingers and trim with a sharp knife. Brush lightly with egg to glaze, then bake for 30 mins or until the pastry is risen and dark golden brown.

Serves 4 to 6

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1765/chicken-and-mushroom-puff-pie

Cartoon: Unhappy Baby Boomer

Cartoon by Ed Stein from Colorado published on 16 April 2009.

To bend (irregular verb – bent, bent) to someone or something means that someone or something conforms to the power or influence of someone or something else. When I moved to France, I had to bend to a new set of rules and laws that were often different to those in the United States.

A whim is a sudden feeling of needing or wanting something. It suggest that what you want isn’t really important or necessary. It’s often used in the expressions ‘at someone’s whim’ or ‘on a whim.’

Millions of Soviet citizens were executed at Stalin’s whim.

On a whim, she decided to go away for the weekend.

When the man in the cartoon states that the ‘universe bent itself to his whims,’ he means that he was able to get or obtain whatever he wanted when he wanted it. The economy was such that he had no concerns whatsoever. His needs and wants were always met.

He also says that the consumer economy was tailored to his specifications. If you tailor something to/for someone, who make or change something especially for a particular person. For example, here at Greta Nord Alsace, we try to tailor our English courses to the needs of the students. In order to write this post, I’m using Windows Live Writer, a software that was tailored to edit and create blog posts.

Grammar: Causatives (Make & Let)

A causative form, in linguistics, is an expression of an agent causing or forcing another thing or person to perform an action or to be in a certain state/condition. In the text below you saw two examples of these causative forms:

- It was the breakfast pizza that finally made my wife snap.

- And do you know she actually made me eat it.

- ‘I will let you have … Cookie Crisp and Toaster Pastries..’

1) MAKE – “forcing or constraining”

If we express the idea of forcing or putting pressure on someone/something to do something, we use the structure: to make someone/something do something

Look at other examples:

- She made her children do their homework.

- The robbers made everyone lie on the floor with their hands behind their heads.

- She made me put back all the junk food.

2) LET - “authorization”

If we express the idea of allowing or permitting someone/something to do something, we use the structure: to let someone/something do something

Look at other examples:

- Will your father let you come to the party tomorrow night?

- My boss let me take the day off from work.

- Stop the ball! Don’t let it roll into the street.

Culture Spot: Junk Food Heaven

Extracted and abridged from Notes From a Big Country by Bill Bryson

Some weeks ago I announced to my wife that I was going to the supermarket with her next time she went because the stuff she kept bringing home was not fully in the spirit of American eating. Here we were living in a paradise of junk food - the country that gave the world cheese in a spray can - and she kept bringing home healthy stuff like fresh broccoli and packets of Ryvita.

It was because she was English, of course. She didn’t really understand the rich, unrivalled possibilities for greasiness and goo that the American diet offers. I longed for artificial bacon bits, cheese in a shade of yellow unknown to nature and creamy chocolate fillings, sometimes all in the same product. I wanted food that squirts when you bite into it or plops onto your shirt in gross quantities. So I accompanied her to the supermarket and while she was off squeezing melons and pricing mushrooms I made for the junk food section - which was essentially all the rest of the Store. Well, it was heaven.

The breakfast cereals alone could have occupy me for most of the afternoon. There must have been 200 types, and I am not exaggerating. The most immediately arresting was called Cookie Crisp, which tried to pretend it was a nutritious breakfast but was really just chocolate chip cookies that you put in a bowl and ate with milk. Brilliant.

I grabbed a box of the cereals and sprinted back to the trolley.

‘What’s that?’ my wife asked in the special tone of voice with which she often addresses me in retail establishments.

‘Breakfast,’ I panted as I dashed past, ‘and don’t even think about putting it back and getting muesli.’
I had no idea how the market for junk food had grown. Everywhere I turned I was confronted with foods guaranteed to make you waddle, including a whipped marshmallow sandwich spread called Fluff, which came in a tub large enough to bath a baby in.

It was the breakfast pizza that finally made my wife snap. She looked at the box and said, ‘No.’
‘I beg your pardon, my sweet?’

‘You are not bringing home something called breakfast pizza. I will let you have’ - she reached into the trolley for some samples - ‘Cookie Crisp and Toaster Pastries and...’ She lifted out a packet she hadn’t noticed before. ‘What’s this?’

I looked over her shoulder. ‘Microwave pancakes,’ I said.

‘Microwave pancakes,’ she repeated, but with less enthusiasm.

‘Isn’t science wonderful?’ I said.

‘You’re going to eat it all,’ she said. ‘Every bit of everything that you don’t put back on the shelves now. You do understand that?’

‘Of course,’ I said in my sincerest voice.

And do you know she actually made me eat it. I spent weeks working my way through a symphony of American junk food, and it was awful. Every bit of it.

dash verb [intransitive] to run or go somewhere very quickly because you are in a hurry dash into / out of / across etc:  I dashed out into the street still in my pajamas. Maria came dashing down the stairs.

filling noun [countable] the cream, fruit etc that forms the inside part of a cake or pie a pie with cherry filling

goo noun [informal – uncountable] any thick, sticky, unpleasant substance

grab verb [transitive] to take hold of something in a rough or rude way He grabbed the knife before I could get to it.

greasiness noun [uncountable] consisting of or covered with oil; state or quality of being greasy This new shower gel helps fight skin greasiness.

make for verb [transitive] to move towards a place He picked up his umbrella and made for the door.

pant verb 1. [intransitive] to breathe very loudly with your mouth open, for example, when you have been running or exercising Louisa banged the door shut and leaned against it, panting. 2. [transitive] to say something while you are panting ’I can’t go any further,’  he panted.

plop verb [informal - transitive/intransitive] to drop something carelessly but gently onto a surface

reach + preposition verb [transitive] to move your hand, arm, leg etc towards something that you are trying to touch or pick up Travis reached into his pocket to get his car keys. He turned around and reached for the phone. I reached across the table and took Alice’s hand.

snap verb [intransitive] to suddenly lose control and become extremely angry or upset because a situation has become annoying or difficult She was bound to snap under all that pressure.

spread noun [countable] a soft food (like Nutella) that you put on bread or other similar foods We prefer low-fat spreads to butter.

sprint verb [intransitive] to run, swim etc at a very fast speed for a short period

squirt verb [transitive/intransitive] to make liquid move with a lot of force Nick squirted a few blobs of ketchup onto his burger. Juice squirted onto his shirt as he bit into the pear.

stuff noun [uncountable] a variety of objects or things What’s all this stuff on my desk? By the time we got to the sale, all the good stuff was gone?

trolley noun [countable] a wire basket on wheels that you push, used in supermarkets to carry the things that you want to buy

tub noun [countable] a small container with a lid for holding or storing food ice cream tubs

unrivalled adjective used for emphasizing that something is much better or more important than other smaller things Their reputation is unrivalled for quality anywhere in the UK.

waddle verb [intransitive] to walk with short steps that make your body move from side to side like a duck’s body does when it walks

Vocabulary In the News: Obama, Regional Leaders Discuss Cuba

VOA News - Obama, Regional Leaders Discuss Cuba

By VOA News
19 April 2009

Cuba has been a dominant theme at the Summit of the Americas.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and other leaders are pressing Mr. Obama to lift the U.S. trade embargo against Cuba.

Mr. Obama says he wants to see a change in U.S.-Cuban relations, but also democratic change on the communist-led island. Cuba is excluded from the summit.

This past week, President Obama lifted restrictions on travel and money transfers by Cuban-Americans to the island.

The other main topics among the leaders at the hemispheric meeting in Trinidad and Tobago have been how to revive their economies, maintain trade and keep the global financial crisis from causing more poverty.

Mr. Obama announced Saturday the formation of a $100-million program to help small entrepreneurs in the Western Hemisphere.

The White House says the new fund would loosen credit from banks and get money moving to small businesses.

U.S. officials say the ultimate goal is to raise 250-million dollars for the program.

Similar microfinance loan programs have proved successful in other developing regions.

Several Latin American leaders have blamed the United States for the financial meltdown.

However, the French news agency reports that President Obama's worldwide popularity was in evidence Saturday at the summit with Latin American leaders jostling to have a photograph taken with him.

The agency says the U.S. president agreed to most of the requests, including those of Panama's tourism minister and actor Ruben Blades. 

blame verb [transitive] to say that someone or something is responsible for an accident, problem or bad situation If it all goes wrong, don’t blame me! Crime is a complex issue. We can’t simply blame poverty and unemployment.

fund noun [countable] an amount of money you collect, save or invest an investment/pension fund

jostle verb [intransitive] to compete for something two candidates jostling for votes

lift verb [transitive] to officially end a rule of law that stopped someone from doing something They’re hoping to get the ban lifted by the end of the month.

loosen verb [transitive] to make something less strict or controlled The country will loosen currency controls to encourage spending abroad.

meltdown noun [countable] a sudden and complete failure of a company, organization or system fear of a global financial meltdown

money transfer noun [countable] = wire transfer the electronic sending of money/funds

pressure someone to do something verb [causative] to try in a determined way to make someone do something or tell you something Managers are being pressed to ensure safety standards are met.

request noun [countable] an act of asking for something in a polite or formal way Requests for visas will be dealt with immediately. Three banks have already refused his request for a loan.

revive verb [transitive/intransitive] to become, or to make someone/something become active, successful or popular again. The railroad revived the flagging fortunes of the town.

Cartoon: Sexting

Cartoon by Jimmy Margulies of The Record published on 11 April 2009.

Cartoon by Gary Markstein of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel published on 10 April 2009.

Sexting is a new word that was created in a 2005 magazine article to describe a trend (une tendance) that is taking place among teenagers. It describes the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photos electronically, primarily between cell phones. This word has become a common term in the English.

Funny Sign!!

My dad sent this to me and I thought you’d enjoy it! It appears to be a humoristic way of informing someone they are not where they should be.

Cartoon: Roll Up Your Sleeves

Cartoon by Steve Benson of the Arizona Republic published on 10 April 2009

To roll up one’s sleeves (and get to work) means to get busy working. In English we often say “Let’s roll up our sleeves (and get to work)” or “It’s time to roll up our sleeves (and get to work).” It is optional to add “and get to work” since it is usually understood. A sleeve is the part of clothing that covers your arm.

“Right on” is a very common colloquial interjection of agreement, enthusiasm or encouragement  in English. This interjection probably comes from the expression right on target (droit dans le mille) or right on cue (tomber à pique).

Cartoon: Blood From a Turnip

Cartoon by Bill Day of The Memphis Commercial-Appeal published on 17 March 2009.

When people say that you can't squeeze blood out of / from a turnip, it means that you cannot get something from a person, especially money, that they don't have or aren’t willing to give.

In French, the expression would be literally translated: On ne peut pas presser un navet pour en tirer du sang.

Audio recording from DCL - Session 03 April 2009

This is the audio recording from the DCL session of 03 April 2009. This recording is for the Action Régionale currently taking place in Haguenau.

Vocabulary In the News: Rising Tea Party Star

Adapted and abridged from the article Rick Perry: Tea party darling by Andy Barr of Politico.com

“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” - 10th Amendment to the United States Constitution (15 December 1791)

Texas Gov. Rick Perry is a rising star among a new anti-tax “tea party” constituency in the wake of his recent endorsement of a Texas state House resolution affirming the state’s sovereignty.

The resolution urges that “all compulsory federal legislation that directs states to comply under threat of civil or criminal penalties or sanctions or that requires states to pass legislation or lose federal funding be prohibited or repealed.”

The Republican governor’s public embrace of that language — a thinly veiled reference toward the conditions set by the Obama administration’s financial stimulus package — and his efforts to reject some of the stimulus funds have made him popular among the big government opponents who attended Wednesday’s “tea party” events across the nation.

“I believe that returning to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Constitution and its essential 10th Amendment will free our state from undue regulations, and ultimately strengthen our Union,” the governor said. “I believe that our federal government has become oppressive in its size, its intrusion into the lives of our citizens, and its interference with the affairs of our state.”

The governor spoke at three tea parties across Texas and had eight radio and television interviews scheduled for Wednesday. Perry also helped promote the tea parties in the days leading up to Tax Day by beating the drum on popular conservative radio shows.

“They’re sending Washington a message,” he said of protesters in Texas. “We’re an independent lot and we just assume Washington not be mortgaging our future.”

beat / bang the drum verbal expression to publically show your support for something or someone

comply verb [intransitive] to obey a rule of law, or to do what someone asks you If you don’t comply you could face a penalty of £100.

compulsory adjective something that is compulsory must be done because of a rule of law School uniform is no longer compulsory in many British schools.

constituency noun [countable] a group of people with similar attitudes or interests who are likely to support a particular idea; the voters in a division of the country who elect a representative to a legislative assembly.

direct verb [formal -transitive] to give someone instructions to do something Take the pills as directed by your doctor.

embrace noun [countable] a situation in which someone completely accepts something such as a new belief, idea, or way of life Her parents were surprised by her enthusiastic embrace of the world of work.

endorsement noun [countable] an occasion when someone gives official or public support to a particular person or thing The election result cans be seen as an endorsement of the government’s record.

funding noun [uncountable] money that a government or organization provides for a specific purpose The government is still failing to provide adequate funding for research.

in the wake of something expression happening after an event or as a result of it An inquiry has been set up in the wake of the crash.

interference noun [uncountable] the process of deliberately becoming involved in a situation and trying to influence the way that it develops, although you may have no right to do this They expressed resentment at outside interference in their domestic affairs.

letter and spirit of (the law) idiomatic expression [used together or separately] the strict and exact force of the language used in a statute (letter) while also doing what the authors of the law intended (spirit)

lot noun [count] a group or set of people or things

mortgage verb to make subject to a claim or risk; pledge against a doubtful outcome They mortgaged their political careers by taking an unpopular stand.

prohibit verb [transitive] to officially stop something from being done, especially by making it illegal Smoking is prohibited in all areas of the building.

repeal verb [transitive] to state officially that a law no longer has legal authority and has ended The 1938 Act was repealed and replaced by the Inheritance Act of 1975.

rising star noun [countable] a person or thing that is growing quickly in popularity or importance in a particular field Barack Obama became a rising star in the Democrat Party with his speech to his party’s convention in 2004.

stimulus package noun [countable] a set of economic proposals or measures designed to boost or stimulate the economy

Tax Day noun [American] common term for the day on which tax returns (statements about income taxes) are due to the federal government and state governments from U.S. citizens and other U.S. residents, usually on 15 April

tea party noun [new popular term! -countable] This is demonstration and protest by those who believe that government spending is out of control, taxes are too high and the current administration and Congress are attacking the free-market system. The concept is based on the 1773 Boston Tea Party when patriots protesting British taxes on tea, threw crates of tea into Boston Harbor. The new concept was born in early 2009 when a CNBC reporter called for “tea party” protests to demonstrate against the new government budget.

veiled adjective a veiled threat, attack, or warning is not direct but easily understoon a veiled attack of the royal family - thinly veiled (= very easily understood) : a thinly veiled threat of retaliation

undue adjective [formal] not necessary or reasonable These minor improvements have caused undue expense and delay.

urge verb [transitive] to advise someone very strongly about what action or attitude they should take The UN has urged them to honor the peace treaty.

Other related links:

Office of the Texas Governor

YouTube video - Gov. Perry Backs Resolution Affirming Texas Sovereignty Under 10th Amendment

Tax Day Tea Party blog

Tea Bag Washington

France 24 - ‘Tea Party’ protests mark tax day

Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution

Shakowsky: Tea parties 'despicable'