The world is running out of chocolate!!

It's a tragedy!! Apparently they've known for some time.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/worlds-largest-chocolate-manufacturer-adds-voice-to-warnings-of-potential-cocoa-shortage-by-2020-9864437.html

Natural reader

I've used this in class before, when I have a sore throat and can't force my voice, but it's also useful for you: http://www.naturalreaders.com/

I haven't downloaded it, but that option seems interesting too. If anyone does downlaod it, let me know if it's useful!

Weird Al Yankovic - Word Crimes

Weird Al's parody of Blurred Lines: "Word Crimes", although maybe some of you will prefer the original. ;)



Lyrics here.

The Most Common Travel Scams by Country

This page has an interesting list of tourist scams that I hope you're all avoiding right now!

http://www.justtheflight.co.uk/blog/16-40-tourist-scams-to-avoid-this-summer.html

A couple of examples:

Trip to England July 2014

My daughter and I made a short trip to England a couple of weeks ago, just to visit family really, not to do sightseeing, although we did get to visit a nice garden (as a lot of you know, I love plants!) here: RHS Garden Hyde Hall.

Here are some photos of our brief stay:

I wonder why they give a Spanish wine a French name...

Notice the price of the peppers is per unit!

Prices.

More prices.

Personally I like the chickens I eat to live a life of luxury.

You are continental, in case you didn't know.

Scones!!! My favourite type of tea thingy.

English country garden.

Can you believe they didn't ask me?

Some serious calories...

Does anyone get this play on words?

Bucolic countryside. And I swear those two horses were smiling at me from their field!

Tea in the garden with different bits of my aunt's china.

Who to support in the World Cup

If you're one of those football fans who doesn't know who to support in this World Cup, this chart might be able to help you.

Powdered alcohol?

I'm finding this hard to believe: alcohol in powder form?

Really, aren't there enough problems with alcohol already without making it easier to consume?!! "Yay, let's sprinkle alcohol on the guacamole"!!! Incredible.

I might have believed it coming from the UK, but no: it seems to be a US invention.

Read about it yourselves and reach your own conclusions: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/palcohol-us-government-reveals-it-has-approved-powdered-alcohol-9273019.html

The official page: http://www.palcohol.com/home.html 

Is it just me or does it remind anyone else of one of those weird sects? 



!!! Update from the 22nd of April: the government has withdrawn approval of the product, granted only 2 weeks before, at least temporarily: http://time.com/71664/powdered-alcohol-palcohol-error/

You shall not pass, dog

I love dogs, but you have to admit that cats are way cooler. ;)

10 Unexpected Things Dirtier Than Your Toilet

This topic came up recently in the C1 class.

Visuwords online graphical dictionary

Hi everyone!

I've just discovered this great toy tool for learning new vocabulary. Not only does it create* a cute colourful mind map of words that bob around, but it's also FREE and you don't even have to register.

http://www.visuwords.com/

It's very complete and apart from double-clicking to extend the map you can also just hover over the word with the mouse to see an explanation.

I should also add that it's quite relaxing and a bit hypnotic. Or maybe I just don't get out enough.

This is what I got from being serious and typing in the word "learn", but I tried other less serious words too and got really good results.

*I dedicate this inverted sentence to Montse P. from C1

Ricardo Montesinos

This year, going back to work after the summer holidays has been especially hard: last Tuesday Ricardo Montesinos, an EOI El Vendrell student, was killed in a road accident.

Several of us, students and me, received the news on Tuesday evening via email, courtesy of unofficial class organiser, Miguel P.

I imagine that we all stared at the information on our screens for a long time, not believing it, or not wanting to believe it.

As everyone knows, teachers don't have favourite students, but if we did have favourite students, he would definitely have been one of mine. He was an important part of class debates (as he often caused them...), he always had a vehement opinion on something, and he always had something to say or to ask. Sometimes I couldn't understand some of his questions, but I always tried to answer or explain, and then he would always say "that's right". :)

He was also a born entertainer, as his classmates would testify to, and those of you who attended the Students' Day presentations last April will remember his mini-play "Love", performed by himself (standing up) and Miguel P (sitting down). 

I don't really know what more to say, as I only knew him as a student: two days a week plus the occasional email. But from my limited relationship with him, I can say that he was original and obviously genuine and good-hearted, and personally I was very fond of him. 

This is a photo of Ricardo that I've nicked from JuntsPelVendrell's webpage (I hope they don't mind), as the class photos we took at the dinner didn't come out very well. He looks a bit formal and serious here, quite different from class, so if anyone has a better photo, I'd appreciate it.

From the reactions that I've seen and read about, it's clear that Ricardo was dearly loved by lots of people. The public homage to him by his "colla" of "castellers" was particularly moving.

In case you weren't able to be there, here's the video (in Catalan) taken by http://www.rtvelvendrell.cat/noticies/emotiu-comiat-al-casteller-ricard-montesinos





I know I'm not alone in saying that we'll miss him very much.

British/London slang expressions

This page has a short list of some useful slang expressions that you might need if you're travelling to the UK this summer, especially if you're going to London:

http://languageandthecity.tumblr.com/post/55253475861/10-british-slang-expressions-you-will-hear-when

From "mind the gap!" to "quid", I'm sure you'll find these expressions handy.

Famous Last Words

"Famous Last words" is an expression that means that somebody has said something very wrong, often dangerously...

Famous Last Words Script:

(I've linked some vocabulary to pictures or explanations, but left some words in bold for you to check yourselves.)

It says “rat poison”, not “human poison”.

Let’s do that thing where you drive a car at me and I jump over it!

Sure, I’ll babysit your chimpanzee.

Why wouldn’t you be able to mix ammonia and bleach?

Sharks don’t attack people in T-shirts.

I’ve figured out a great way to heat the tent: we just hook the car’s exhaust up to it.

We didn’t wear helmets when I was a kid.

We didn’t have to wear seatbelts when I was a kid.

We didn’t have to cook pork to 160°C when I was a kid.

The fire extinguisher’s empty! Get the hair spray!!!

Why else would they call them “parachute pants”?

How bad can bath salts be?

No, that’s not a Coral Snake. That’s a King Snake.

I don’t think I’m allergic to rabies.

I bet you I can eat this whole foot long without swallowing.

Let’s play real life Frogger!

Ah, look, mushrooms!

Ah look, berries!

Ah look, stagnant water!

So I put this end on my finger, and then I grab the battery.

This is the deep end, right?

Hey, can you hand me the hair-dryer?

It’s impossible to swallow your own tongue. Watch.

If we leave this food out, the bears will see us as friends.

Life jacket schmife-packet.

No! Don’t apply pressure to the wound! Just fan it!

Let’s go to Tijuana.

Chubby Bunny!

(...)

What’s the international sign for choking? oh, yeah: thumbs up!

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Danny MacAskill

I love this guy!