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Hi again! Nice to be back
Check out some of the summer news
Where were you when this happened ? Can you remember? Let us know
Where the rejected words go
You know that English is a very creative language and that new words are born every year. As they do not have an institution such as the Academia de la Lengua they rely on the good old Oxford English Dictionary to sanction the new words as solid enough to formally join the English language. The OED work started in 1150 and it was completed in 1928, in its printed edition it has 20 volumes plus 3 volumes in the Additions series.
The main change in the new millenium was a digital on line edition which appeared in 2000 and will get a facelift in 2010.
Both editions get revised regularly, this year on the 10th of June the new revised Rh volume was added alongside new entries across the alphabet. Since the OED has gone online these changes are easier to add. In the printed edition this is obviously harder and one has to wait longer for a record of not only new words but new added meanings to existing words
Lexicographers are always on the look out for new words but also members of the public write to the OED with new words. They decide what goes in the OED but it is a very important decision as once they are in the OED they remain there forever.
But what happens to the words that do not make it ?. Well today I have discovered where the rejected words go: they are stored in a vault in the Oxford University Press, dormant until they become accepted, a kind of purgatory for words.
A researcher has found out about this secret vault and the media has loved the story you can read the articles here
You can read the whole article from The Telegraph newspaper by clicking here
My favourite dormant word in nonversation: a worthless conversation. I hope it makes it into the OED
If you like to have some fun with words try these games
The green-eyed monster
Oh dear! There had to be jealousy, that all too human emotion.
Nothing new here if it wasn’t because it was courtesy of The Times, once the preserver of British correctness. O tempora! O mores!
Thank goodness there was a voice of dissent that raised concern over the treatment of our football heroes. The voice of Miriam Gonzalez Durantez
who wrote a letter to the Times editor asking them to eat humble pie after reporting that Spanish National football team’s performance in the match against Switzerland was affected by the presence of journalist Sara Carbonero in the stadium.
Miriam, wife of British Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, has shown concern over the misogynistic decline and fall of the British press.
However, let’s not forget that, sadly, the best selling British newspaper is The Sun with its notoriously sexiest page 3. I have often wondered if people buy it as a joke, or to wrap fish and chips as it is only 20 pence anyway.
It is OK as long as we can hear the voice of reason every now and again.
Read all about it here and tell us what you think
Spain Wins World Cup
I’m just breaking my own rules and interrupting my holidays to bring all you a breaking blog post! Definitely, the news is worth the effort. We are World Champions!!
Just as the famous Paul – the psychic octopus – predicted, Euro 2008 champions Spain, who conceded only two goals during the tournament, deserved their victory after gradually taking a grip on a tense and bad-tempered contest that produced 14 yellow cards with Johnny Heitinga sent off on 109 minutes after picking up a second yellow card.
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Former Spain coach Jose Antonio Camacho celebrates as Andres Iniesta scores the winning goal against Holland in the World Cup final. On the verge of a heart attack, poor thing!
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… and my favourite bit after this unforgettable final…
soooooo romantic! It is actually making a clean sweep in most Spanish sports headlines!
Bye bye
Dear students
You have all been wonderful this year and we have funtastic memories of our time together. Thanks for your hard work, enthusiam and good feedback
We are going on holiday and will close the blog till September …well …maybe the odd summer post but you see, it will be difficult to access Internet or any other technology from where we are going. We are planning a special holiday in a great hotel, would you like to have a peep? Click here
You see no chance of getting a signal!
We wish you all a great summer and look forward to catching up in September.
Love from Encarni, Sara and Inés
XXX
PS Or as Shakespeare would put it
And whether we shall meet again I know not.
Therefore our everlasting farewell take:
For ever, and for ever, farewell…!
If we do meet again, why, we shall smile;
If not, why then, this parting was well made.Julius Caeser | Act 5, Scene 1
Summer Reads
Perhaps it’s that extra blast of sunlight or our inherent lax attitude to the season. For whatever reason, it just feels like there’s more time to read in the summer. But what to read?
Still filling out your list? Here are 5 books to keep you reading all summer long.
1.THE UNCOMMON READER, by Allan Bennet
The Uncommon Reader is none other than HM the Queen who becomes obsessed with books after a chance encounter with a mobile library. The story follows the consequences of this obsession for the Queen, her household and advisers, and her constitutional position.The consequence is, of course, surprising, mildly shocking and very funny.
2. ONE DAY, by David Nicholls
‘I can imagine you at forty,’ she said, a hint of malice in her voice. ‘I can picture it right now.’
He smiled without opening his eyes. ‘Go on then.’
15th July 1988. Emma and Dexter meet for the first time on the night of their graduation. Tomorrow they must go their separate ways. So where will they be on this one day next year? And the year after that? And every year that follows?
Twenty years, two people, ONE DAY.
3. THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY, by Mary Anne Shaffer and Annie Barrows.
The novel is set in 1946 and is in the form of letters, mainly to and from the central character, Juliet Ashton, a successful writer who becomes, wholly coincidentally, involved with a group of people on Guernsey who lived through the wartime German Occupation. The book has something to say about all kinds of things. Among them are friendship, suffering, forgiveness, goodness and wickedness, the resilience of humanity in desperate circumstances, how reading may influence us and the history of the Channel Islanders during the war.
4. THE THIRTEENTH TALE, by Diane Setterfield.
The Thirteenth Tale is a gothic suspense novel published in 2006.Vida Winter, a famous novelist in England, has never been forthcoming when it comes to her past. Her entire life is a secret, and for fifty years reporters and biographers have attempted to discover the truth. With her health quickly fading, Ms. Winter enlists a bookish amateur biographer named Margaret Lea to bear witness to the tragic story of the Angelfield family, their eccentric beginnings as well as their demise. Margaret, who has family secrets of her own, must unravel the mysteries of the past in order to reconcile not only Miss Winter with her ghosts, but also Margaret with her own.
5. HOW TO BE GOOD, by Nick Hornby
How to Be Good is a 2001 novel that centers on characters Katie Carr, a doctor, and her husband, David Grant. Events take a turn when David stops being “The Angriest Man In Holloway” and begins to be “good” with the help of his spiritual healer, DJ GoodNews.The novel has a funny side, mostly due to the conversion of the husband, David, from an angry, cynical and negative man to a “do-gooder.” Nevertheless, its most important subject is the crisis that the couple is going through.
Pick your choice and enjoy your reading! Remember good sites to buy original books on the web are www.play.com and www.thebookdepository.com both offer good prices and free delivery to your door, or www.amazon.com where you can find second-hand books although you’ll have to add up VAT and posting charges.
Two tickets for FIFA World Cup South Africa
World football coming our way soon. There is a chance you can join the crowds in South Africa.
Check this competition whose prize is two tickets to South Africa. Good luck!
Easier still in this other competition you only have to enter your data. In this other one there are a couple of tricky questions…
Still if you are not the lucky winner you can always save up and pay for your ticket like everybody else by clicking here
Watch out! Some people have already worked out how the future will unfold
What if…?
The conditional sentences are back for revision purposes but perhaps we could learn a few mores advanced uses.
As for the traditional types you could refresh your knowledge by clicking here
And for the more sophisticated types
1.-If with would and should for polite purposes
If you wouldn´t mind waiting for a moment, the doctor will see you shortly
Should you want to contact me, I will be in the office from 9 till 5 (More common in written English)
2.-There are also rhetorical conditional sentences which need to be interpreted as they mean the opposite of their literal meanings
If you believe that, you´ll believe anything (you can´t believe that)
She is nothing if not tough ( She is really tough)
If they are Irish, I am the Pope (they are certainly not Irish)
3.-If formulas for expresing politeness, ideal in oral exams
If you don´t mind me saying so,……
If I may interrupt …
If I may change the subject…
If you can keep a secret…
If you see what I mean…
If I understand you correctly…
There is a very popular BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs 
in which famous guests are asked which 8 music records, which book and which luxury they would take if they were cast away in a desert island. It has had some very famous guests and it has proven a very popular programme. You can listen to the most recent programmes from their webpage
So popular it has become that you can buy a compilation CD with famous castaways choices.
Now it is your turn to answer to choose. If you were cast away in a desert island, which 8 pieces of music, one book and one luxury would you take?
Money makes the world go round
Nothing beats singing in times of crisis!.. well…, maybe football. Find below a selection of some top money songs
1. Money, Money–Liza Minnelli, Cabaret (1968)
Liza Minnelli and Joel Gray perform this classic in the film Cabaret, based on the 1968 musical written by John Kander. Never has a cliche been so catchy.
Best lyrics:
Money makes the world go around
…the world go around
…the world go around.
Money makes the world go around
2. Can’t Buy Me Love –The Beatles, The Beatles 1 (1964)
The Beatles were right about this one. Just ask Sir Paul.
The group recorded this song while on tour. They were under pressure to create a follow-up hit after “I Want to Hold Your Hand” reached #1 in America. It worked: the single was a hit in both America and the UK, selling more than a million copies.
Best lyrics:
I’ll give you all I got to give if you say you love me too
I may not have a lot to give but what I got I’ll give to you
I don’t care too much for money, money can’t buy me love
3. Money, Money, Money—ABBA, Arrival (1976)
“Money, Money, Money” made the world, especially Australia and Europe, wild for ABBA. It remained at the top of Australia’s charts for six weeks, and made it to the Top 3 in at least 11 other countries.
To me this is one of Abba’s more cynical songs. It borders on depressing as it laments the plight of living outside the ‘rich man’s world’. Still, it bounces along.
Best lyrics:
I work all night, I work all day, to pay the bills I have to pay
Ain’t it sad
And still there never seems to be a single penny left for me
That’s too bad
In my dreams I have a plan
If I got me a wealthy man
I wouldn’t have to work at all, I’d fool around and have a ball
4. She Works Hard for the Money—Donna Summer, She Works Hard for the Money (1983)
Just try not to wiggle to this remix of Donna Summer’s huge hit. Work it girl! Funny, though – I never though this song was about waitresses and factory girls…
Best lyrics:
It’s a sacrifice working day to day
for little money just tips for pay
But it’s worth it all
just to hear them say that they care
She works hard for the money
so hard for it honey
she works hard for the money
so you better treat her right
Do you know other “money” songs worth mentioning?
Economic crisis glossary
Now that it seems the economic crisis is definitely staying with us for a while it may be a good idea to find out what all those terms really mean. If you pick up any newspaper, magazine or any other media source you will need to go beyond our basic mortgage, credit card and loan vocabulary to some more sophisticated words you probably wish you had never heard such as hedge fund or junk bond.
Not all is negative, for it appears that some countries are already showing signs of recovery. Guess which ones?
Before we embark of some new money vocabulary you may want to revise all the lingo you know by clicking here
Nevertheless so that we begin to understand what is going on, here is a guide to many of the business terms currently cropping up regularly, as well as some of the more exotic words coined to describe some of the social effects of the credit crunch
Work Experience at the British Embassy
ENGLISH STUDENT WANTED
As Laura so kindly informed us, the British Consulate in Alicante offers a very interesting position you can all apply for.
As quoted in http://ukinspain.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/working-for-us/22220107 :
“The core of the job will involve attending to members of the public at the front counter, taking telephone calls, answering emails/faxes and ensuring the Consular officers have all the necessary back up, to enable them to give the best service to our customers. The support needed includes filing and general administrative duties.
We are looking for a candidate with proven experience in customer handling, working in a target driven and team environment, well organised, with strong interpersonal skills and experience in office administration. Fluency in English and a good operational level in Spanish (both written and oral) are essential. IT skills are important and the right candidate will have a strong working knowledge of Microsoft windows. Some occasional travel may be required, so a driving licence would be an advantage. You will need to be available to start by the beginning of June. Full induction and training in consular work will be provided to the successful candidate.”
Come on, don’t be shy and take advantage of this wonderful opportunity! And remember, applicants should submit a letter of application in English by email (rrhh@fco.gov.uk),explaining why they believe they meet the requirements of the job, together with their CV in English, by 21st May 2010.
UK Elections Final Episode: Tory-Lib Dem Coalition
David Cameron has become Prime Minister after agreeing a deal with the Liberal Democrats to lead Britain’s first coalition government since the Second World War.
Mr Cameron, 43, becomes the youngest premier since Lord Liverpool almost 200 years ago, and the first Conservative in No 10 since John Major departed 13 years ago.
He promised there would be “hard and difficult work” ahead and said his administration would focus on “rebuilding family, rebuilding community, above all, rebuilding responsibility in our country”.
His appointment followed Gordon Brown’s resignation and brought to an end five days of tortuous negotiations in the wake of last week’s election, which resulted in a hung parliament.
Both Gordon Brown and David Cameron paid tribute to each other and wished each other well in a typically polite British way.
After falling 20 seats short of a majority, Mr Cameron was forced to accept a deal to lead a coalition government with the Lib Dems. It means that five Lib Dems will hold Cabinet posts and a number of high-profile Tory policies will be shelved. The Conservatives have also been forced to offer the Lib Dems a referendum on voting reform.
The Government will be the first coalition since Winston Churchill’s wartime administration 70 years ago. Downing Street announced that Nick Clegg was Deputy Prime Minister, the first Liberal in a Cabinet post since Sir Archibald Sinclair was Secretary of State for Air in Churchill’s wartime government. There are 5 cabinet posts for LibDems.
In a speech that resonated of JF Kennedy inaugural address in 20th january 1961, he asked the British citizens for their share of responsibility
Arriving in Downing Street with his wife, Samantha, at 8.40pm, he said: “I came into politics because I love this country, I think its best days still lie ahead and I believe deeply in public service, and I think the service our country needs right now is to face up to our really big challenges, to confront our problems, to take difficult decisions, to lead people through those difficult decisions so that together we can reach better times ahead.”
The Prime Minister accepted that he would face difficulties having to lead a coalition government. He said: “This is going to be hard and difficult work. The coalition will throw up all sorts of challenges, but I believe together we can provide the strong and stable government that our country needs, based on those values, rebuilding family, rebuilding community, above all, rebuilding responsibility in our country. Those are the things I care about, those are the things that this government will now start work on doing. Thank you very much.”
On yet another breathless day at Westminster, Cameron and his deputy prime minister Clegg held a joint press conference in which both displayed equal enthusiasm for turning their shotgun marriage brought about by a hung parliament, into a genuine partnership.
Clegg said: “Until today we were rivals, and now we are colleagues. And that says a lot about the new politics which is now beginning to unfold. This is a new government and a new kind of government.”
They also published a joint memorandum negotiated over the last five days covering deficit reduction, environment, tax, banking reform, an annual cap on immigration, welfare and relations with Europe.
Tory and Lib Dem leaders declare they are now “colleagues not rivals” and pledge to act “together” in a five-year partnership in their first press conference.
Oral Presentation: MSF
By Inma Quiles
MSF, a well-known NGO, is an independent and international medical humanitarian organization. Although this is not an original topic, I have chosen it because, in my opinion, MSF is carrying out an important work and, on the other hand, I think that someone can be interested in it.
HOW WAS IT BORN?
MSF was born in the early 70s out of the exasperation of a group of French doctors, who worked in desperate conditions in the Biafra War (1967-1970), because they did not agree with the conditions and the violation of Human Rights there. On the other hand, another group of French doctors, who worked in Bangladesh, did not agree with the delivery of international aids, which they thought unfair so, both groups decided to join, and together with a group of journalists, to set up a new organization in order to work, wherever it was necessary, irrespective of race, religion or political system, to alleviate human suffering, to protect life and health, and to restore to people their fundamental Human Rights
Nowadays, MSF is a worldwide organization, which works in more than 60 countries with 19 offices and three Logistics Centres all over the world; its actions are guided by medical ethic and the principles of neutrality and impartiality, evaluating medical needs, and giving priority to those population in serious danger.
WHERE DOES IT WORK?
It usually works, in places where there are armed conflicts, epidemics, natural or man –made disasters, or in places, where people are excluded from healthcare, that happens mainly in Africa, Asia, Central and South-America.
It acts, in emergencies and in its aftermath, rehabilitates and runs hospitals and clinics, performs surgeries, battles epidemics, carries out vaccination campaigns, operates feeding centres for malnourished children and offer mental health care, when it is necessary. It too, dispenses clean drinking water and provides shelter materials like blankets and plastic sheeting and provides training to local people. Also, trough longer-term programmes, MSF treats patients with infectious diseases, such as: TBC, Sleeping illness, Cholera, Chagas and AIDS… and provides medical and psychological care to marginalized groups, such as street children.
MSF, never takes side in armed conflicts, and in addition to this, it acts as a witness, speaking out about the plight of victims. For all these reasons, it won the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize
HOW DOES IT WORK?
When they detect a problem, through news, international organisms, MSF workers or through another different way, an Emergency Unit moves to this area. This Unit evaluates the situation in the field and elaborates a report, which is sent, if they consider that it is necessary to act there, to a Coordination office, where a medical team organize a project, and they send professionals and material ( from Logistics Centres) towards these areas.
In case of an emergency, people and material are sent quickly without a project previous
HOW IS IT SUPPORTED?
MSF is an independent organization, for this reason, it is supported mainly by members and collaborators.
-89% of its financing is got from individual donations.
-11% of its financing is got from organisms.
Donations give them independence from political interference and allow them to act without delay or obstruction.
WHO WORKS FOR MSF?
A lot of people work for MSF, medical staff such as doctors ( paediatricians, surgeons, anaesthetists), nurses, midwives, pharmacists, biologists, nutritionists, epidemiologists…also non-medical background to fill a variety of support and coordinator roles, such as engineers, administrative staff, logistic experts, biomedical scientist etc.
-In Offices, the administrative staff receive information about medical and humanitarian needs in a specific area. Moreover, they recruit volunteers, collect donations and buy material, which is stored in Logistic centres.
– Overseas staff are people who work all over the world in these projects, giving medical and technical assistance to population in danger. They bring motivation, professional abilities and practical experience to projects. The work is tough and, demanding, but rewards are immense. Placements in these areas can be dangerous, but their strict security policies ensure that risks to project workers are minimised. Medical activities vary with each project, from a simple curative work to help to build up a medical infrastructure.
REQUIREMENTS
To work overseas, it is necessary
– To have at least two years of experience in your job
– To have availability and capacity to move, for a minimum of six months, since they think that this time is the minimum time necessary to know and to adapt to a project
– To have knowledge about computer and languages,( English / French )
-To have some experience in organization and management
– To have some experience in tropical medicine
If it is the first time that a person works for MSF, is recommendable to be between 25 and 40 years old.
-Family is not allowed to move with them.
They have a contract and insurances and they have a remunerative work, their monthly salary is about 740 € in order to pay their expenses, lodging, transport and feeding are in charge of MSF
If you are interested in working or supporting them , you can put in touch with the organization by email. The address is http://www.msf.es
Choose your words wisely
Have you felt words failed you at times when you wanted to get across a delicate point or just when you wanted to make a good impression? It happens to us all. In stressful situations it is better to be honest and clear. It is better to be honest than to boast about things you do not know. Check this famous example from the Miss Teen USA 2007, Miss South Carolina became an instant celebrity when she confirmed universally held prejudices about this type of show and its contestants. Judge for yourself
Others gave some edited versions of the truth that they soon regretted. Do you remember this one?
It pays off being honest and telling the truth. It seems to be contagious amongst American democrats…anyway those who came after Bill Clinton
Here are a few good quotes about speaking
“I love talking about nothing. It is the only thing I know anything about.”Oscar Wilde
To speak and to speak well are two things. A fool may talk, but a wise man speaks. ~Ben Jonson
If you wouldn’t write it and sign it, don’t say it. ~Earl Wilson
Two monologues do not make a dialogue. ~Jeff Daly
Of those who say nothing, few are silent. ~Thomas Neiel
Do you know any others?
UK Elections. And the Winner is…
UK 2010 ELECTION RESULTS
| Party | Seats | Change | Vote % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Conservative | 306 | +97 | 36.1 |
 |
Labour | 258 | -91 | 29.0 |
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Liberal Democrat | 57 | -5 | 23.0 |
No Party has been able to secure an outright majority in the House of Commons and there will now be a frantic period of negotiation to decide the shape of the next government. Nick Clegg is getting offers from both Labour and Conservative to form an alliance. Which one will it be?
With all election results declared, it emerges Britain has its first hung parliament since 1974. The Conservatives are the largest party, but will fall short of the 326 seats needed to form a majority government. Labour loses more than 80 seats, and the Liberal Democrats fail to make gains.Which party is in a position to form the next government will become clear in the following hours or days. So far, conservative party leader David Cameron has made a “big, open and comprehensive” offer to Liberal Democrats.
Actually,there is no formal deadline for when an administration must be formed but a key date is 25 May, when the Queen’s Speech is due to set out the government’s priorities during the Parliament. Negotiations to form a government in a hung Parliament could take between a week and 10 days. Now, we can do nothing but wait till then!
Meanwhile, enjoy the general election 2010 highlights: party leaders, winners and losers
And this is what the general public think about it.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/video/2010/may/07/general-election-2010-voxpops
Not sure they match your political ideas? you don’t know who you would have voted for? Don’t worry, reading manifestos is no longer needed, The Telegraph would make the decision for you.
Vote Match is a guide which helps you determine who you should vote in the 2010 UK General Election by matching your views on the issues most important to you with each political party’s policies. Select a nation (choice won’t affect results) and answer these questions to know which party you would belong to if you were British.
UK General election
The new UK government will be elected on Thursday 6th May
Nick Clegg, Gordon Brown and David Cameron.
As it stands at the moment there are three clear contenders and they are very close together in the polls: David Cameron for the Conservative Party, Nick Clegg for the Liberal Democrat party and Gordon Brown, the current PM, for the Labour party. During the election campaign they have had three televised debates
The newspaper predictions are for a hung Parliament when no one party has an overall majority which may mean a coalition government, familiar to us in Spain but less usual in the UK where the electoral system favours a two party system.
The current British electoral system makes it possible for a party to win the election while getting fewer votes than another party. They have a system of constituencies or seats and voters vote for their constituency candidates. There are currently 650 constituencies in the UK, each of which returns one Member of Parliament.
These were the results in the General election 2005
 |
Parliamentary seats won
Labour (355) Conservative (198) Liberal Democrat (62) Democratic Unionist Party (9) SNP (6) Sinn Fein (5) Other (5) Plaid Cymru (3) Social Democratic & Labour Party (3) |
The system as it stands now favours the stance of the two biggest parties, Labour and Conservatives, to the detriment of the smaller parties. In this election Nick Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrats has demanded electoral reform to allow smaller parties to obtain a fairer representation.
Here are some of the political parties contesting seats across the UK in the 2010 general election, which takes place on 6 May.
| Alliance Party (NI) | Monster Raving Loony Party
Socialist Party (Trade Union and Socialist Coalition) Socialist Party of Great Britain |
Deepwater Horizon : the latest environmental disaster
Just as we were talking about environmental disasters we hear about a devastating oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. It has been reported as the biggest one the world has ever had.It has been caused by an accident on an BP oil rig named Deepwater Horizon.
The oil is leaking from the ocean floor more than a mile down. So far the accident has cost 11 workers their lives yet the widespread concern and anger are about the some 5,000 barrels (210,000 gallons) of oil gushing into the sea off the coast of Louisiana, threatening vast devastation to the nearby marine life and coastal industries.
It has already affected many people´s livelihood. Check their testimonies here
Only five years ago this American area was severely affected by hurricane Katrina and as they are beginning to make a recovery they see their ecosystem under threat again. The coast of four US states are already affected: Florida and Alabama, Mississippi and Florida
Perhaps now some of the countries which have been planning further drills for oil will rethink their strategies.
Home:Planet Earth
Home is a 2009 documentary by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. The film is almost entirely composed of aerial shots of various places on Earth, it was filmed in 50 countries. It shows the diversity of life on Earth and how humanity is threatening the ecological balance of the planet.
Although it has some harsh facts of how we are contributing to global warming and the oil crisis, it ends on a positive note.
The movie was released simultaneously on June 5, 2009 in cinemas across the globe, on DVD, Blu-Ray, television, and on YouTube. Opening in 181 countries, the film broke the world record for the largest film release in history. As of April 2010, the French, English, German, Spanish, Russian and Arabic versions on Youtube logged a total of more than 14 million views
The film has no copy right and is carbon offset which means that all the CO2 emissions created while making the film are calculated and offset by sums of money used to create clean energy for those who don´t have any.
Take a look at our home from a different angle at
You can see Yann Arthus-Bertrand in a TED talk discussing hiw views on ecology and his work with a charming French accent. We hope you like it too.
Celebrities and the environment
A lot of people are rightly concerned with the future of our planet. Some of them have used their “celebrity” status to raise awareness for the cause click here to see a list of Green celebrities
Both Leonardo di Caprio and Kate Winslet have championed environmental causes. In his case he has a whole website dedicated to it. It is called Leonardo Di Caprio Eco-site with some great links and also you can find two short movies he has made: one on global warming and another on the water cycle.
Kate Winslet has voiced a campaign against the cruelty used in the rising of geese and ducks for foie gras production. In this video she describes the whole process. Warning: it contains disturbing images
Some supermarkets in the Uk are offering cruelty free foie gras altenative products such as Waitrose’s “Faux Gras” (using a mixture of goose and duck fat mixed with 50% free range poultry liver)
However you don´t need to be a celebrity to champion the green cause, every little helps!
Volcanic cloud, the whole story
Due to the unexpected eruption of the Icelandic Eyjafjallajokull volcano (and for the record, the name comes from “Eyja” – for island, “Fjalla” – meaning mountain, and “Jokull” – for glacier. You can listen to the correct pronunciation here )which had been blissfully dormant for 200 years, air travel was halted and a state of chaos descended upon the European skies. The collateral damages affected people worldwide.
Watch this CBS news clip from the beginning of the crisis
However, the mood changed as airlines were making huge daily losses estimated around €200 million a day and some started to question whether governments were being too cautious.
It emerges now that airlines had not set a protocol as nobody wanted to commit to a figure of ash level without testing the actual circumstances so it was left to the governments to make the decision and no politician was ready to assume a potentially risky decision.
Under the umbrella of “better safe than sorry” air travel was halted for nearly a week and hundreds of millions were lost. Now some airlines are refusing to compensate passengers as the ban was imposed on them by governments and some are questioning why it took over five days to test safety levels. Once again as citizens we seem to be left in the dark.
The BBC has a good coverage of the latest news
Were you affected by the ash cloud directly or indirectly? Tell us your story
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