SURPRISING RESULTS SO FAR!

I'm really surprised at how the new poll is going and at the results so far. I can't believe so few people voted speaking as the most difficult thing about learning English yet most of you keep your mouths shut when it comes to speaking in class. Why? Is it because you think it is not as important? Please, I beg you to comment! and please, speaking a language is essential for communication! You need to try harder.
So, my question is this:
What have you voted? Why?

EVERYBODY HURTS

Searching for a video of the song to use on my blog I came across this recently released cover by many artists.
Some of the biggest names in UK and American music have joined forces to record a cover of the REM classic "Everybody Hurts", to raise money for charities supporting the relief efforts in Haiti. The final lineup of artists includes Mariah Carey, Jon Bon Jovi, Robbie Williams, Kylie, Rod Stewart, Leona Lewis, Alexandra Burke, Miley Cyrus, Take That, Susan Boyle, Joe McElderry, Cheryl Cole, JLS, Mika, Michael Bublé, James Blunt, James Morrison and Westlife. The single will split all proceeds 50/50 between DEC (Disasters Emergency Committee) and The Sun newspaper's "Helping Haiti' appeal.
It will make us think.

HELLO EVERYBODY!

While I'm preparing my next classes, I'm listening to some "good" music and thinking of you ;). And just because I'm in a good mood now (unlike this morning) I'm posting a song for you to listen to and learn a bit of vocabulary at the same time.
There have been lots (and I mean a lot)of covers of this song, the most popular by The Blues Brothers but this is the true original by the great (in every sense) Solomon Burke.

It goes something like this (because the song changes every time):
[introduction]
Everybody needs somebody
Everybody needs somebody to love (someone to love)
Sweetheart to miss (sweetheart to miss)
Sugar to kiss (sugar to kiss)
I need you you you
I need you you you
I need you you you in the morning
I need you you you when my souls on fire

Sometimes I feel
I feel a little sad inside
When my baby mistreats me
I never never never have a place to hide
I need you

Sometimes I feel
I feel a little sad inside
When my baby mistreats me
I never never never have a place to hide
I need you you you
I need you you you
I need you you you
I need you you you
I need you

You know people when you do find that somebody
Hold that woman, hold that man
Love him, hold him, squeeze her, please her, hold her
Squeeze and please that person, give em all your love
Signify your feelings with every gentle caress
Because its so important to have that special somebody
To hold, kiss, miss, squeeze and please

Everybody needs somebody
Everybody needs somebody to love
Someone to love
Sweetheart to miss
Sugar to kiss
I need you you you
I need you you you
I need you you you...

Enjoy!

MARDI GRAS (FAT TUESDAY)

Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, is one of the most famous Carnival celebrations in the world.

Celebrations are concentrated for about two weeks before and through Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras in French), the day before Ash Wednesday. Usually there is one major parade each day (weather permitting); many days have several large parades. The largest and most elaborate parades take place the last five days of the season. In the final week of Carnival, many events large and small occur throughout New Orleans and surrounding communities

The parades in New Orleans are organized by Carnival krewes. Krewe float riders toss throws to the crowds; the most common throws are strings of plastic colorful beads, doubloons (aluminum or wooden dollar-sized coins usually impressed with a krewe logo), decorated plastic throw cups, and small inexpensive toys.

Mardi Gras throws

To New Orleanians, "Mardi Gras" specifically refers to the Tuesday before lent, the highlight of the season. The term can also be used less specifically the whole Carnival season, sometimes as "the Mardi Gras season". The term "Fat Tuesday" or "Mardi Gras Day" always refers only to that single day.

Here's a video of Mardi Gras 2oo6(150th anniversary of Mardi Gras in New Orleans.) It includes footage of Fat Tuesday, the French Quarter and the Rex, Zulu and Bacchus parades.

St Valentine's story (as told by himself)

Let me introduce myself. My name is Valentine. I lived in Rome during the third century. That was long, long ago! At that time, Rome was ruled by an emperor named Claudius. I didn't like Emperor Claudius, and I wasn't the only one! A lot of people shared my feelings.

Claudius wanted to have a big army. He expected men to volunteer to join. Many men just did not want to fight in wars. They did not want to leave their wives and families. As you might have guessed, not many men signed up. This made Claudius furious. So what happened? He had a crazy idea. He thought that if men were not married, they would not mind joining the army. So Claudius decided not to allow any more marriages. Young people thought his new law was cruel. I thought it was preposterous! I certainly wasn't going to support that law!

Did I mention that I was a priest? One of my favourite activities was to marry couples. Even after Emperor Claudius passed his law, I kept on performing marriage ceremonies -- secretly, of course. It was really quite exciting. Imagine a small candlelit room with only the bride and groom and myself. We would whisper the words of the ceremony, listening all the while for the steps of soldiers.

One night, we did hear footsteps. It was scary! Thank goodness the couple I was marrying escaped in time. I was caught. (Not quite as light on my feet as I used to be, I guess.) I was thrown in jail and told that my punishment was death.

I tried to stay cheerful. And do you know what? Wonderful things happened. Many young people came to the jail to visit me. They threw flowers and notes up to my window. They wanted me to know that they, too, believed in love.

One of these young people was the daughter of the prison guard. Her father allowed her to visit me in the cell. Sometimes we would sit and talk for hours. She helped me to keep my spirits up. She agreed that I did the right thing by ignoring the Emperor and going ahead with the secret marriages. On the day I was to die, I left my friend a little note thanking her for her friendship and loyalty. I signed it, "Love from your Valentine."

I believe that note started the custom of exchanging love messages on Valentine's Day. It was written on the day I died, February 14, 269 A.D. Now, every year on this day, people remember. But most importantly, they think about love and friendship. And when they think of Emperor Claudius, they remember how he tried to stand in the way of love, and they laugh -- because they know that love can't be beaten!

ABOUT YOUR CLASS PRESENTATIONS

I want to write a few lines about your presentations and how I’m going to evaluate and grade them. I think I need to do this as some of you aren’t taking this assignment seriously enough and are either clearly improvising or taking too little time to prepare it. Whether it is because you are too lazy or too confident in your capability, I don’t know.

However, bear in mind that I will take into account not only how well you deliver your message, i.e. how accurately and clearly, and how you engage your audience but also the amount of time and effort you put into it.

Remember that I know you and I know what you are capable of: I will grade you accordingly.

Let me remind you that when your classmates are presenting in front of the class I will not tolerate any of the following:

- Talking during their presentation.

- Not listening attentively.

- Showing no interest.

Good luck to all of you!

MY WEEKEND IS ALREADY HERE (ALMOST)

So this week is almost over and I know I've been a little impatient with you and maybe a bit disappointed too. Perhaps it's because I would have liked more support from some of you. Well, We haven't been our best but I'll try to be more understanding next week.
In the meantime, for those of you who read my posts, I want to share a song I love with you.
It's called Use Somebody by The Kings Of Leon and it won the record of the year award at this year's grammys. I hope you like it.



The lyrics:

I've been roaming around, I was looking down at all I see
Painted faces fill the places I can't reach
You know that I could use somebody
You know that I could use somebody

Someone like you and all you know and how you speak
Countless lovers under cover of the street
You know that I could use somebody
You know that I could use somebody
Someone like you

Off in the night while you live it up I'm off to sleep
Waging wars to shake the poet and the beat
I hope it's gonna make you notice
I hope it's gonna make you notice

Someone like me, someone like me
Someone like me, somebody

I'm ready now, I'm ready now
I'm ready now, I'm ready now
I'm ready now, I'm ready now
I'm ready now

Someone like you, somebody
Someone like you, somebody
Someone like you, somebody

I've been roaming around, I was looking down at all I see