AN OVERVIEW OF THE POLL TAX

LADY LIBERTY TELLS HER STORY

DYLAN'S 70TH BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/bobdylan

NOT DARK YET

Shadows are falling and I’ve been here all day
It’s too hot to sleep, time is running away
Feel like my soul has turned into steel
I’ve still got the scars that the sun didn’t heal
There’s not even room enough to be anywhere
It’s not dark yet, but it’s getting there
Well, my sense of humanity has gone down the drain
Behind every beautiful thing there’s been some kind of pain
She wrote me a letter and she wrote it so kind
She put down in writing what was in her mind
I just don’t see why I should even care
It’s not dark yet, but it’s getting there
Well, I’ve been to London and I’ve been to gay Paree
I’ve followed the river and I got to the sea
I’ve been down on the bottom of a world full of lies
I ain’t looking for nothing in anyone’s eyes
Sometimes my burden seems more than I can bear
It’s not dark yet, but it’s getting there
I was born here and I’ll die here against my will
I know it looks like I’m moving, but I’m standing still
Every nerve in my body is so vacant and numb
I can’t even remember what it was I came here to get away from
Don’t even hear a murmur of a prayer
It’s not dark yet, but it’s getting there

THOUSANDS PROTEST ECONOMIC CRISIS, HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT IN SPAIN

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/05/18/spain.protests/index.html?iref=allsearch

A black and yellow fever is taking over Spain, something long-latent in the country for quite a while now, it has suddenly awaken as a growing giant creature: a movement called 'Democracia real, YA' (Real Democracy Now). Having gained more than 60,000 supporters throughout different social networks over the last three months, the rapidly increasing and pacific movement cemented its standing after a massive demonstration that took place on May 15, 2011 in more than 30 cities all over Spain and gathering thousands without the backing of any entity, political party or union.
It was bound to happen; the lack of jobs or rather too many precarious ones, uncertainty about future prospects, the high cost of living, the rise in tuition fees as part of the Bologna Process, the bailout of banks and other financial disasters, the austerity measures by the government in the grim economy and a rejection of a well-established two-party system, have all finally taken their toll on the most highly educated generation in the history of the country as well as on their parents, teachers, neighbours, relatives and so many citizens.
With the May 22 council elections approaching and with just over a year left to the next national elections, 'Democracia real YA' does not support any political party: it is a movement by the citizens and for the citizens.
As you are reading this, people are camping out spontaneously on the main squares of Madrid and Barcelona and other Spanish towns and not giving in to the police demands and intimidation, or to undercover agents wrecking havoc themselves disguised as protesters. And we won't be fooled by the sudden joining of political parties to the movement now that it's made headlines.
We won't give up!
Our time has finally come!

With English subtitles:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1ikQQk8cJQ

LET'S FACE THE MUSIC!

DEAR WOMAN

With Spanish subtitles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3iKK65TYXA&feature=related

DO YOU LIKE JOHNNY CASH?

The Johnny Cash Project from Chris Milk on Vimeo.


There ain't no grave
Can hold my body down
There ain't no grave
Can hold my body down

When I hear that trumpet sound
I'm gonna rise right out of the ground
Ain't no grave
Can hold my body down

Well, look way down the river
And what do you think I see
I see a band of angels
And they're coming after me

Ain't no grave
Can hold my body down
There ain't no grave
Can hold my body down

Well, look down yonder, Gabriel
Put your feet on the land and sea
But Gabriel, don't you blow your trumpet
Until you hear from me

There ain't no grave
Can hold my body down
Ain't no grave
Can hold my body down

Well meet me, Jesus, meet me
Meet me in the middle of the air
And if these wings don't fail me,
I will meet you anywhere

Ain't no grave
Can hold my body down
There ain't no grave
Can hold my body down

Well meet me, Mother and Father,
Meet me down the river road
And Mama, you know that I'll be there
When I check in my load

Ain't no grave
Can hold my body down
There ain't no grave
Can hold my body down
There ain't no grave
Can hold my body down

CORRECT THE MISTAKES (IF NECESSARY)

1.     Living with flatmates is not the same that living with your family

2.     Thank you for pick me up from the airport.

3.     If you live with others flatmates, you can split the bills.

4.     It is a great opportunity to see my favourites singers.

5.     I don’t like doing the houseworks.

6.     When you live with flatmates you share the chores.

7.     I don’t mind waiting for you.

8.     About the advantages of travelling alone, I think you are free to make your own decisions.

9.     I’m really looking forward to knowing Bristol.    

10.  Travelling enables you to know people.

11.  In the one hand, if you live alone, you may spend more money.

12.  There are several advantages and disadvantages to travelling alone.

13.  When you live with someone you have to respect them.

14.  When a person travels with more people, they don’t have to ask nobody.

15.  Nowadays, many students share a flat with another people.

16.  Other advantage is that you are not alone.

17.  That depends of your personality.

18.  Perhaps you have to support unpleasant situations.

19.  When you decide to move out of your parent’s house, you should consider sharing a flat.

20.  Living with more people is funny.

21.  I can’t stay a second week because next week I’ll start an English course in Spain.

22.  Flatmates can give you good advices.

23.  I don’t know to swim, so I’d prefer to do something else.

24.  I’m very bad on swimming.

25.  Living with flatmates has less disadvantages.

26.  Thank you for allowing me stay in your house.

27.  When you arrive at home, there is someone waiting for you.

28.  Thank you for providing me with accommodation.

29.  I’m sure it will be a unique experience.

30.  As a good Spaniard, I know how to enjoy life.

31.  I used to listen the Festival on the radio.

32.  I’ve always dreamt to live by the sea.

33.  I definitely want to go to the Festival. Besides, I can take my tent with me.

34.  Is better to travel alone or with friends?

35.  I’d rather stay with you in your house.

36.  That’s the reason because I can’t stay there a second week.

37.  I’d like to do exciting activities, as scuba diving.

38.  I prefer swimming than scuba diving.

39.  If you travel alone, you may get into troubles and nobody will help you.

40.  I’m an open person.

41.  I also would like to spend a second week there.

42.  I don’t have time enough now.

43.  If you travel alone it is easy for you to make friends.

44.  I’m planning to do a travel soon.

45.  I don’t have a tent either.

46.  We’ll enjoy very much.

___________________________________________________________________
KEY:

1. Living with flatmates is not the same that living with your family (as)
2. Thank you for pick me up from the airport. (picking)
3. If you live with others flatmates, you can split the bills. (other)
4. It is a great opportunity to see my favourites singers. (favourite)
5. I don’t like doing the houseworks. (housework)
6. When you live with flatmates you share the chores. (C)
7. I don’t mind waiting for you (C)
8. About the advantages of travelling alone, I think you are free to make your own decisions. (C)
9. I’m really looking forward to knowing Bristol. (getting to know)           
10. Travelling enables you to know people. (to get to know)
11. In the one hand, if you live alone, you may spend more money. (On)
12. There are several advantages and disadvantages to travelling alone. (C)
13. When you live with someone you have to respect them. (C)
14. When a person travels with more people, they don’t have to ask nobody. (anybody)
15. Nowadays, many students share a flat with another people. (other)
16. Other advantage is that you are not alone. (Another)
17. That depends of your personality. (on)
18. Perhaps you have to support unpleasant situations. (bear, tolerate, put up with)
19. When you decide to move out of your parent’s house, you should consider sharing a flat. (-s’)
20. Living with more people is funny. (fun =enjoyable / funny=makes you laugh)
21. I can’t stay a second week because next week I’ll start an English course in Spain. (the next (according to the context) / next week= the week just after this one)
22. Flatmates can give you good advices. (advice)
23. I don’t know to swim, so I’d prefer to do something else. (know how to)
24. I’m very bad on swimming. (at)
25. Living with flatmates has less disadvantages. (fewer + c. nouns in pl. / less=+uncountable nouns)
26. Thank you for allowing me stay in your house. (me to stay: allow sb to do sth)
27. When you arrive at home, there is someone waiting for you. (arrive home: arrive, go, come, leave, return + home)
28. Thank you for providing me with accommodation. (C / spelling of accommodation)
29. I’m sure it will be a unique experience. (C/ a university, a useful book, an MP3 player)
30. As a good Spaniard, I know how to enjoy life. (C/compare: like)
31. I used to listen the Festival on the radio. (listen to)
32. I’ve always dreamt to live by the sea. (of living: – dream about sth/of doing sth - dream about/of sth [when sleeping])
33. I definitely want to go to the Festival. Besides, I can take my tent with me. (Also – besides: to give strong(er) reasons)
34. Is better to travel alone or with friends? (Is it)
35. I’d rather stay with you in your house. (C) (‘d rather + infinitive / Prefer to do sth, prefer -ing to -ing)
36. That’s the reason because I can’t stay there a second week. (why)
37. I’d like to do exciting activities, as scuba diving. (such as)
38. I prefer swimming than scuba diving. (to)
39. If you travel alone, you may get into troubles and nobody will help you. (trouble)
40. I’m an open person. (C)
41. I also would like to spend a second week there. (I would also like to)
42. I don’t have time enough now. (enough  time: enough + noun / adj + enough)
43. If you travel alone it is easy for you to make friends. (C / not “do”)
44. I’m planning to do a travel soon. (2 mistakes: go on/ make/ take a trip)
45. I don’t have a tent either. (C)
46. We’ll enjoy very much. (ourselves: enjoy + object/-ing)

ADJECTIVE OR ADVERB?

1) If you drive ___ you could have an accident.   (a) recklessly (b) reckless	2) The teacher explained the assignment ___. (a) careful (b) carefully
3) There was a ___ noise last night. Did you hear it?      (a) loud (b) loudly	4) Paul walks so ___ in his new boots. (a) loud (b) loudly
5) Jason ate his dinner very ___. (a) quick (b) quickly	6) Those apples look ___. May I have one? (a) delicious (b) deliciously
7) He's an awful driver. He never stops the car ___. (a) smoothly (b) smooth	8) Pavarotti is an opera singer. He sings ___ (a) beautiful (b) beautifully
9)This situation requires a ___ investigation. (a) serious (b) seriously	10) Sometimes, driving at night can be very ___. (a) dangerous (b) dangerously
11) They shouted ___ at each other. (a) angry (b) angrily	12) If you ask ___, I will give it to you. (a) polite (b) politely
13) Try to speak ___ if you are giving a speech. (a) clear (b) clearly	14)Why are you so ___? (a) angry (b) angrily
15) He is a __ driver. (a) careless (b) carelessly	16) Frank always works so ___! (a) slow (b) slowly
17) Sara speaks so ___ that I can't understand her. (a) fast (b)fastly	18) Sara opened the door ___. (a) slow (b) slowly
19) It is a beautiful __ day. (a) clear (b) clearly	20) Jessica writes so ___. Look at these mistakes! (a) careless (b) carelessly
21) Hank drives ___. I'm worried about him. (a) dangerous (b) dangerously	22) I didn't sleep __ last night, so I feel __ today. (a) good, terrible (b) well, terrible c) well, terribly
23) Lee is a ___ speller. (a) bad (b) badly	24) ___ the car changed directions. (a) Sudden (b) Suddenly
25) Please try to be more ___. (a) careful (b) carefully	26) If you want tourists to visit your country, you must treat them ___ . (a) pleasant (b) pleasantly
27) Liberace played the piano ___. (a) perfect (b) perfectly	28) Max is a ___ talker, but he never listens. (a) fast (b) fastly
29) Shannon writes very ___. (a) neat (b) neatly	30) Karen is the best student in class. She studies ___. (a) hard (b) hardly

PUNCTUATION ISSUES

HOW TO USE COMMAS

Step 1: The listing comma. The most common use of the comma is in place of the word "and" or "or" in a list of words. For instance: “My favorites bands are U2 and Muse and The Cheeky Girls,” sounds clumsy and a bit breathless. Try writing, “My favorite bands are U2, Muse and The Cheeky Girls.”
You shouldn't use the word ‘and' after a listing comma, unless it helps clarify the meaning of a sentence: “My favourite bands are U2, Muse, and Chas and Dave”
In this case, the extra and after the listing comma helps you make it clear you're not a fan of one band called 'Muse and Chas' and another called 'Dave.'

Step 2: The joining comma. A joining comma is used to join two complete sentences together, so that, “You must hand in your essay by Friday.” And, “You will receive a mark of zero.” Becomes: “You must hand in your essay by Friday, or you will receive a mark of zero.” Notice you must use a joining word after a joining comma such as: and, or, but, yet or while. So the following sentence is wrong: “Bangladesh is one of the world's poorest countries, its annual income is only $80 per person.” In this case you should use a semi-colon instead of a comma.

Step 3: The gapping comma. A gapping comma is used to indicate that some words are missing from a sentence. So the sentence, “Some of us wanted to spend the night in a club; others wanted to spend the night in a bar.” Becomes, “Some of us wanted to spend the night in a club; others, in a bar.” The comma after the word 'others' shows that the words "wanted to spend the night" have been taken out.

You can use listing, gapping and joining commas together, for instance:
“Italy is famous for her composers and musicians, (Listing) France, (gapping) for her chefs and philosophers, (joining) and Poland, (gapping) for her logicians and mathematicians.”

Step 4: The bracketing comma. The word comma comes from the Greek for, "a piece cut off", and as the Greeks invented commas, it's safe to say that the bracketing comma is the oldest form of comma ever used.
A pair of bracketing commas is used to indicate a weak interruption that doesn't disrupt the smooth running of the sentence. As in, “She groped for her cigarettes and, finding them, lit one.” Which could also be written as, “She groped for her cigarettes and lit one.” The words within the bracketing commas can be taken out of the sentence without disrupting its meaning. Be careful about this point, as the following example shows, it's easy to get it wrong:
The people in the queue, who managed to get tickets, were very satisfied.
written with commas, this means: 'The people in the queue were very satisfied', when what it's trying to say is:
The people in the queue who managed to get tickets were very satisfied.

If your weak interruption comes at the start or end of a sentence, it is acceptable to use just one bracketing comma: because you cant start or end a sentence with a comma. So the sentence: I think we can say that, all in all, we've done very well.
Could be written as: All in all, I think we can say that we've done very well.
Or:
I think we can say that we've done very well, all in all.

Step 5: Weak interruptions. Though, because, since, after, before, if, when and although are all words that set you up for a weak interruption, like this:
Although I like it here, I am going to have to leave soon.
If you use any of these words at the start of the sentence, it's acceptable to use a comma later on:
Because there's no public transport, I am working from home today.
Note that the final section is a sentence in its own right (I am working from home today), but it is preceded by a qualification.
While it looks the same, this is different to a bracketing comma: you cant take out the section before the comma without changing the meaning of the sentence.

Step 6: The interjecting comma. This is the comma to indicate a pause in the sentence:
Stop, or I'll scream.
You should only really use one interjecting comma in a sentence, otherwise you risk over-punctuating.
Stop, or I'll scream, and shout, at all the people, passing by.

Step 7: Speech commas. Before you use quotation marks, you should insert a comma like this:
She turned round and said, “I don't want to go there.”

HOW TO USE COLONS AND SEMI-COLONS

Step 1: Colon introduction. A colon introduces an explanation or elaboration of what has come before it: like this. To use a colon, you should be satisfied that the two sections of your sentence aren't complete sentences in their own right, and the information in one section explains the other section:
Africa is experiencing a terrible problem: perpetual drought.
Or:
Perpetual drought, poverty, corruption: these are all terrible problems Africa is experiencing.

Step 2: Titles. Colons are also used to separate a book title and sub-title, as in:
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead mans chest.

Step 3: Ratios. You can use a colon to indicate a ratio, "The man/woman ratio is 1:4!!" In formal writing this isn't normally acceptable. So the sentence would be written as:

There are four women to every man here.

Step 4: Semi-colon introduction. A semi-colon links two complete sentences which work as sentences on their own; it indicates that there is some sort of relationship between them.

Step 5: Stylish semi-colons. Using a semi-colon is always a literary (stylistic) choice, for instance:
It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.
Could also be written as:
It was the best of times, and it was the worst of times.
Or:
It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.

Step 6: Complete sentences. To use a semi-colon, you should be satisfied that the sentences are too closely related to be separated by a full stop, and one sentence isn't a direct explanation of the last.
You can do this in list form too:
1. The sentences are too closely related to be separated by a full stop;
2. One sentence isn't a direct explanation of the last.

Step 7: Marking important breaks. There is one circumstance where you can use semi-colons to break up a very long sentence, to help it be understood. Consider the following sentence:

In Chad, where the famine still continues, western aid workers, in spite of their efforts, are unable to operate, and the people, starving, and desperate, are flooding to refugee camps.

You can use a semi-colon instead of comma to mark the most important breaks in the sentence, just to aid comprehension, like so:

In Chad, where the famine still continues, western aid workers, in spite of their efforts, are unable to operate; and the people, starving, and desperate, are flooding to refugee camps.

Step 8: Joining words. Some words require a semi-colon before their use. It is important to remember though that certain joining words are more appropriate to commas:
Women's conversation is cooperative, while men's is competitive.
Or:
Women's conversation is cooperative; however men's is competitive.
Words like however, thus, therefore, consequently, nevertheless and meanwhile should all be preceded by a semi-colon, while words like and, but, yet and while should be preceded by commas.

FILM NOIR

So, you want to learn about the film noir genre, and sound like a brainy movie buff? Then watch our film noir tribute, and learn everything you need to know about film noir in just two minutes.

1. Film noir is French for black cinema, and is a genre popularised in Hollywood in the 1940's and 50's, with black & white films like ‘The Maltese Falcon' and ‘Double Indemnity'. Later films, such as ‘Chinatown' in the 70's, are known as neo-noir. And even more recently there have been films like ‘Sin City', which are known as post-modern neo-noir. The style is characterised by dark, expressionistic visuals, with actors faces only lit on one side. The characters tend to smoke a lot, and look very glamorous while doing it.
   
   The main character in film noir is usually a cynical, wise-cracking detective, who wears a trench coat and fedora hat. He's a bit of a loner, and likes to drown his sorrows. He lacks some of the heroic qualities of a traditional square-jawed leading man, so he's often referred to as an anti-hero.
   
   The female lead is known as a femme fatale, and is an enigmatic beauty, who may or may not turn out to be a devious back-stabber. With her seductive charms she lures the private eye into the dark world of the noir story.
   
   Then of course there's the villain, a shadowy underworld crime figure who's up to all sorts of dastardly deeds. But who's really the villain in this story? The key thing to remember with film noir is that any of the characters can reveal a dark and corrupt side. Or even a soft, merciful side. Moral ambiguity abounds.
   
   You also need to know that films noir usually contain a MacGuffin, which is an object that everyone in the film is trying to get hold of, such as diamonds, or a roll of film used for blackmail. It doesn't matter what the MacGuffin is, as it's only purpose is to drive the plot forwards, and make the characters act in increasingly desperate ways. In film noir, everyone is double-crossing and triple-crossing each other, and the plots can be very confusing. Even Raymond Chandler, writer of the ‘The Big Sleep', is quoted as saying he did not know who the murderer was in his own story.
   
   If you really want to impress your friends, say that you think a clear line can be drawn between the moral corruption in films noir, and the bleakness of World War II and the Great Depression. Or say that the sexual frankness in the neo-noir films of today undercuts the tension of the original noirs made in the more conservative 1940's.

INSIDE SPORT: BALLESTEROS INTERVIEW

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tv_and_radio/inside_sport/8304388.stm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/jan/04/golf-seve-ballesteros

PSYCHOANALYSIS & CONSUMERISM

El siglo del yo 3 from Tyrel Nexus on Vimeo.

PRONUNCIATION OF ENGLISH COUNTRY NAMES

http://www.fonetiks.org/nameseng2.html