On This Day : 26 December 1991

Has it been 20 years already!? On this day in 1991, the Supreme Soviet met and formally dissolved (stop existing) the USSR. The Cold War was over!

Word of the Day : Bullying

[Source: Buckfire and Buckfire.com]

To bully – to frighten or hurt someone who is smaller or weaker than you

bullying (n.) – behavior that frightens or hurts someone smaller or weaker than you

a bully – the person who bullies

Cartoon : Hang On To That Birth Certificate

Political cartoon by Rick McKee of The Augusta Chronicle in Augusta, Georgia published on 13 May 2011.

to do someone a favor (Note: in British English  it is spelled ‘favour’) – to do something to help someone else

to hang on to something – to keep something because you think you might need it sometime in the future

Vocabulary In the News : Osama bin Laden Killed

"Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body," President Obama said late Sunday evening.

direction – leadership or management

targeted – aimed at something or someone, having an objective

compound – an enclosed area where a particular group of people live or work

to carry out – to do a particular piece of work, research, operation, etc..

harmed – hurt, injured, damaged

a casualty – someone who is injured or killed in an accident or military action

a firefight – an exchange of gun fire

to take custody of something -  to take possession of

Cartoon : Royal Welfare

Political cartoon by Rick McKee of The Augusta Chronicle in Augusta, Georgia published on 29 April 2011.

a gal - a girl, or a woman (English version of the French ‘une nana’)

a guy = a boy, or a man (English version of the French ‘un mec’)

barely (adv.) - used for emphasizing how small an amount is

to be on welfare – to receive money, care and/or help from the state (for people in need or unemployed)

Vocabulary In the News: One million throng London for royal wedding

One million well-wishers thronged the streets of London yesterday for the royal wedding turning the streets into a blanket of red, white and blue. They all turned out hoping to catch a glimpse of the newlyweds who exchanged their vows at Westminster Abbey.

A jubilant crowd waiting at the palace gates were treated to a public kiss on the lips, a break with royal protocol which states that royals are not allowed to kiss publically.

To the relief of the royal family, everything went off without a hitch.

VOCABULARY
a well-wisher – someone who shares your feelings or opinions and hopes that you will be successful

to throng – to gather in large, numerous crowds

a throng – a large crowd of people

a blanket – a thick layer of something, for example snow, fog or clouds that completely covers an area

to turn out – to go somewhere to be present at an event or take part in an activity

Synonym: to show up

to catch a glimpse – to see something or someone for a moment only

to exchange vows – a set of promises that people make to each other, for example during a wedding ceremony

jubilant (adj.) – extremely happy because something good has happened

to be treated to something – to have something special done for or given to you

to treat oneself/someone to something – to do something or to give something special to yourself or someone

a treat – something special you do or buy for yourself or someone else

to go off without a hitch – to happen successfully without any problems

Synonym: with flying colours (UK)/colors (US)

Cartoon : Sheer gaudiness

Political cartoon by Randy Bish of the The Tribune Review in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania and published on 28 April 2011.

Sheer is a word used to emphasize the amount or degree of something.  Take a look at some examples:

Their excellent results were a result of their sheer hard work.

Being able to see his family after spending a year on military duty in Iraq was sheer joy.

Gaudiness is the state of being overdone and without good taste. The adjective is gaudy. To give you an idea, here’s a picture from today’s royal wedding!

Now this is a gaudy hat worn by Princess Beatrice of York, elder daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York!

And let’s not forget the queen of gaudy clothing, Lady Gaga, who is always gaudily dressed! It’s sheer gaudiness!

Slang & Idioms : Page Turners & Page Clickers

If you’ve ever had a book that was so good and so interesting that you just couldn’t put it down, we call this book a page turner.

The idiom has been updated for electronic book devices!! So, now if you are reading a very interesting ebook, we call this a page clicker!

Slang & Idioms : Intaxication!

I love this term intaxication, though unfortunately in France, I don’t ever feel intaxicated! 

This is a play on the word, “intoxication,” which is the state of being intoxicated or drunk! Intoxication is also the high excitement of mind due to extreme happiness or enthusiasm. Hopefully, you all find your spouses or partners intoxicating!!

Vocabulary In the News : Governor Haley Barbour Pulls the Plug On a 2012 Presidential Run

25 April 2010 - It appeared certain that Governor Haley Barbour of Mississippi was going to throw his hat into the ring and seek the Republican Party nomination for President of the United States in 2012. He had lined up an official May 2 announcement that would be following by a fly-around to several states winding up back in Jackson, Mississippi for a huge fundraising bash. He even lined up a campaign manager. However, to the surprise of his backers, Barbour announced on Monday that he was pulling the plug. One of the reasons he gave for his decision to not run for the presidency was that he couldn’t offer with “total certainty” a commitment to endure the crucible of a presidential campaign.

VOCABULARY:

to throw one’s hat into the ring: to enter a political race as a candidate; to announce that you intend to compete for something (This expression comes from the early 19^th century when boxing was very popular. If anyone wished to challenge a boxer, he would simply throw his hat into the boxing ring.)

to line up: to organize or prepare things for an event or a series of events

to wind up: to end something (Here, Barbour would finish his fly-around the country in Jackson, Mississippi.)

a bash: a party or a celebration

a backer: a supporter (the verb is ‘to back’)

to pull the plug: to stop an activity (It is used especially when money is no longer being provided to allow an activity to continue. A plug is what is connected to the electrical socket in the wall to make our appliances work. If you remove it from the wall, electricity is no longer supplied and the appliance stops working.)

a crucible: an environment that is very dangerous, difficult or exciting

Cartoon : Driveling Pundits

By Rick Stromoski published on 28 January 2011

If you say or write something that is considered to stupid or unimportant, this is called drivel. It often used to insult political speech you don’t agree with.

The media often interviews or hires political or social experts to express their opinions  publically on certain subjects, speeches or events. These so-called experts are known as pundits.

Vocabulary In the News : Yahoo! News (Online Article From 31 December 2010)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/new_year_s_eve;_ylt=Au.EDaRl._gD.QwBr2YE2kKs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNlY2NscGgwBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAxMjMxL25ld195ZWFyX3NfZXZlBGNjb2RlA21vc3Rwb3B1bGFyBGNwb3MDMgRwb3MDNgRwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yeQRzbGsDbWlsbGlvbnNnYXRo

If you are awake at midnight and are celebrating the arrival of the New Year, we say in English that you are ringing in the New Year. At midnight the world ushers in 2011, in other words, the world will inaugurate 2011. Some dream that in 2011, successful talks between Israel and Palestine will usher in a new era of peace.

Worldwide (around the world), people are celebrating  and enjoying themselves by being lively and noisy. Many of these revelers are singing, dancing and drinking. These revelers are gathering in large crowds such as in Times Square, New York. Others are simply at home gathered with their family. When people gather, they come together in one place to see or do something. This Christmas, I returned to the States to gather with my family.

Happy New Year 2011!!

To read the full article, click on the link or image above!

Vocabulary In the News : Yahoo! News (Online Article From 31 December 2010)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20101231/wl_nm/us_france_newyear

Well, it’s that time of year in France when friends get together with a glass of champagne around a blazing fire. However, that blazing fire could be your car! Once again, French authorities brace for these annual New Year torchings. In other words, they are preparing for an unpleasant night. Have you ever watched a movie where a boat, ship or space ship are about to be hit by a large object? Usually in this situation, the captain will cry out, “Brace for impact!” This tells the crew to prepare themselves for the impact or blow that will hit the vessel. In France, the authorities are bracing for the impact of the car torchings.

Disaffected youths in France’s suburbs compete with other suburbs to see who can cause the most damage. To be disaffected means to longer feel any loyalty. Many of France’s youth in the suburbs feel that they are discriminated against and thus have become hostile and rebellious toward authority.

Bracing for this night and in an attempt to fight against this competition between suburbs, the police will keep the vandalism statistics under wraps. If you are good at not telling anyone a secret, you can keep it under wraps. You could also say that the French police will keep a lid on the vandalism statistics.

To read the full article, click on the link or image above.

Cartoon : True Grit

Political cartoon by Joe Heller of The Green Bay Press-Gazette in Wisconsin and published on 28 December 2010.

The winter weather in Europe and the east of the United States wrecked havoc this Christmas travel season leaving thousands of people stranded in airports. If you are stranded, this means that you are left somewhere with no way of going anywhere else.

Being stuck in an airport with nowhere to go, requires some true grit. Soldiers in difficult combat situations require determination, courage and fearlessness; they need grit!

Vocabulary In the News : CBS News (Online Article from 22 December 2010)

In this sad story, a student of Rutgers University, Tyler Clementi, was outed by his roommate who spied on him with a webcam during a tryst. The roommate then put the video online publically humiliating him. As a result, a humiliated Tyler committed suicide.

If someone is outed, this means it is made publically known that he or she is gay. Tyler Clementi, who was publically still in the closet, was caught in a tryst (pronounced ‘trist’) with another man.  A tryst means any secret meaning between two people who are having a romantic relationship.

The act caused national outcry in the United States. This is an angry expression of protest or shock!

Tyler’s parents believe that Rutgers University failed to enforce policies that would have prevented the act. His parents are now considering whether or not to sue the university. If you sue someone, you are making a legal claim against them, usually for money, because they have done something bad against you. To formally ask a court to look at your case against someone, you file a lawsuit.

To read more about this story, click on the image above.

I had just finished writing the blog post above when I noticed that Newsy had just posted video on this story:

pp

For the transcript, go to : http://www.newsy.com/videos/rutgers-facing-lawsuit-over-clementi-suicide

Fun Video : Flash Mob Singing Handel’s “Hallelujah” in Mall Food Court

Here’s a fun video of a flash mob singing the “Hallelujah” chorus from Handel’s oratorio Messiah in the middle of a food court at a mall.

A flash mob is the new trend where large groups of people suddenly assemble in a public place to dance and/or sing. In this video, a flash mob takes place in a food court at a shopping mall.

A food court is usually an area inside a mall or an airport where you’ll find several fast food restaurants to choose from. In the United States, you can even find them in some high schools or universities replacing the traditional cafeteria!

A shopping mall, or simply a mall, is usually an indoor complex of different shops. In France, les Halles is a good example of this type of center. One mall, the Mall of America in Minnesota, even has an amusement park inside with a roller coaster!!

English Cuisine : Christmas pudding with citrus & spice

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/8370/christmas-pudding-with-citrus-and-spice

A fruity pud, served with orange custard cream, makes the perfect end to the traditional Christmas meal

Ingredients

• 175g each raisins (des raisins secs) , currants (des raisins de Corinthe) and sultanas (des raisins de Smyrne)
• 140g whole glacé cherries (des cerises confites)
• 50g mixed peel (des écorces d’agrumes confites)
• 50g whole blanched almonds (des amandes émondées) 
• zest 1 orange and 1 lemon
• 1 medium carrot , peeled and finely grated
• 150ml brandy (comme un cognac ou un armagnac)
• 50ml/2fl oz orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier
• 175g light muscovado sugar (vergeoise)
• 175g fresh white breadcrumbs (chapelure)
• 125g self-raising flour (farine avec levure incorporée)
• 1 tsp mixed spice (mélange pour pain d’épices)
• ¼ tsp grated nutmeg (noix de muscade)
• 175g butter , frozen
• 2 eggs , beaten
• butter , for greasing
• holly sprig, to decorate (une petite branche de houx) 

  

  1. Mix the fruit, almonds, citrus zests and the carrot with the brandy and orange liqueur in a large mixing bowl. Cover and leave to soak (tremper) overnight.
  2. Mix all the dry ingredients together, then add to the soaked fruit mixture. Grate (râper) in the butter, then add the eggs and stir. Don't forget to make a wish!
  3. Grease a 1.5-litre pudding basin (une moule à pudding) with butter and line (tapisser) the base with greaseproof paper (papier cuisson). Spoon in the mixture, press down well and make a hollow (un creux) with the back of the spoon in the centre. Cover the surface with a round of greaseproof paper, then cover the bowl with double-thickness greaseproof paper and foil (papier d’aluminium) and tie at the rim (au bord) with string. Lower the pudding into a pan with an upturned (posé à l’envers) saucer (une soucoupe) in the base, then fill with water until it comes halfway up the sides of the bowl. Steam (faire cuire à la vapeur) for 6 hrs, topping up with water as necessary.
  4. Alternatively, steam in the oven. Stand the pudding basin in a roasting tin (un plan à rôtir) filled with water, then cover with a tent of foil and cook for the same length of time at 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Check roasting tin occasionally as the water may need to be topped up.
  5. To store (conserver), allow to cool, then store in a cool, dry cupboard. The pudding will keep for up to a year.
  6. On the day, steam for 1 hr before turning out (sortir de la moule), decorating with holly and serving with extra-thick double cream or vanilla ice cream. Alternatively, try my Orange custard cream (below).

  

  Orange custard cream

  Whip (fouetter) 285ml double cream with the grated zest ½ orange until it holds its shape. Fold in a 500ml tub fresh vanilla custard and serve.

Songs For Christmas : Lord of the Dance / Simple Gifts

The lyrics for Lord of the Dance were written back in 1967 by English songwriter Sydney Carter. The tune for the song came from Simple Gifts, a traditional hymn of the American Shakers, that dates back to 1848. In this version sung by Blackmore’s Night from their album Winter Carols, both songs are mashed together.

Slide your cursor over the highlighted words to view a popup window with its French translation.

Lord Of The Dance / Simple Gifts

I danced in the morning when the world had begun
And I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun
I came down from heaven and I danced on the Earth
At Bethlehem I had my birth

Dance then wherever you may be
"I am the Lord of the Dance" said He
"And I'll lead you all wherever you may be
And I'll lead you all in the dance said He

‘Tis a gift to be simple ‘tis a gift to be free
’Tis a gift to come down where we ought to be
And when we find ourselves in a place just right
We'll be in the valley of love and delight

Dance then wherever you may be
"I am the Lord of the Dance" said He
"And I'll lead you all wherever you may be
And I'll lead you all in the dance said He

When true simplicity is gained
To bow and to bend we shan’t be ashamed
To turn to turn will be our delight
Till be turning we come round right

Dance then wherever you may be
"I am the Lord of the Dance" said He
"And I'll lead you all wherever you may be
And I'll lead you all in the dance said He

I danced in the morning when the world had begun
And I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun
I came down from heaven and I danced on the Earth
At Bethlehem I had my birth

The original lyrics to Lord of the Dance

Lyrics to Simple Gifts

Cartoon : Craving pie because of pi

In this cute little cartoon, you see the mathematician explaining that he has an inexplicable craving for pie. A craving is a strong desire or want for something. In the morning, many of us crave a cup of hot coffee or tea. Note: A craving is not necessarily a synonym for hunger.

A pie, of course, is a thick version of a tart such as an American apple pie or the famous British meat pie. In French, this is called une tourte.

The mathematical formula pi (π) is pronounced like the English word ‘pie,’ and not ‘pee’ as in French.

Look at how to use the verb ‘to crave’. (click on the word)

Vocabulary In the News : Yahoo News (Online Article from 26 November 2010)

If you stab someone or something, you push a sharp object such as a knife into that person or thing. Thankfully, in the case of this Marine who was stabbed in the back, his wound wasn’t severe. The Marine was trying to stop a shoplifter, who had tried to shoplift a laptop computer. Shoplifting is the act of stealing from a shop. This comes from the verb ‘to lift,’ which also means to steal.

Other interesting expressions with ‘stab’:

• Unpleasant feelings or emotions can stab you if you feel them very strongly. When my grandmother passed away, sadness stabbed my heart. If someone’s words stab you, you feel a strong sense of sadness or fear.
• a stabbing – In the article, the Marine was a victim of a stabbing. This is the name for this type of attack.
• a stabbing pain – This is very intense and sharp pain such as would be felt in a heart attack or severe injury.
• to stab someone in the back – If someone trusts you and that person thinks you are loyal to them, but you do something bad that is disloyal and hurtful, you stab them in the back.
• a stab in the dark – If you make a guess at a question or problem that is not based on any knowledge and which will probably be a wrong answer, we call this a stab in the dark. Sometimes while playing trivia games and I don’t know the answer, I’ll make a stab in the dark.

Click on the above image to access the article’s main page.