Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Toilets & Bathrooms in UK & US

A bathroom is what you find in your house with a bathtub and toilet. A toilet is what you find in public places which is just a receptacle for the body's waste matter, usually with a supply of water for washing this away, and a sink. In British English toilet is generally acceptable but lavatory and WC (becoming old-fashioned except when talking about the plans of a house) are also used. Loo is a fairly common informal word. Public convenience is the formal expression for a specially built public lavatory, esp one in a public place. Quite generally in restaurants and other public places, the question is "Where is the ladies'?" or "Where is the gents'?" - the word "toilets" is understood but usually omitted.
In the US, it's "bathroom" in a home and "restroom" in a public facilty (like a restaurant, etc.). In public, you also refer to the ladies' room or the men's room.

Toilet-paper is paper for use in a toilet.
Toilet-roll is a roll of toilet-paper.
Toilet powder is a fine powder for spreading on the body (as after bathing).
Toilet soap is a mild soap, often coloured and scented, used for washing oneself.
Toilet-water is a type of perfumed liquid for the skin.
The toiletries are articles, such as toothpaste or a hairbrush, used in personal grooming or dressing. They may also include objects or cosmetics used in making up.
A toilet bag is a waterproof bag (usually made of plastic) for holding bathroom items and other personal hygiene equipment (soap and toothpaste etc.) when you are travelling. It may also be called washbag or sponge bag. A toilet bag specifically for men may be called a dopp kit.

More sketchbook studies

Today was my craft day, so not much drawing done. I managed the sketch on the right this afternoon. The ink sketch on the left was done on Saturday.
Sketchbook

My Demolition Company [Update]

I just found out that a two man operation was started on the same day my one man operation was last year.

Photobucket

Can we seperate the Artist from his Art?

Can we? Good article/ blog entry about Roman PolaƄski.
In English only, though.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

It was all going so well

I've had a bit of an upsy downsy day, today. Firstly it started well, up nice and early, time to pray and enjoy the peace and quiet before the children awoke. I even got ahead with the daily tasks. The plan was to drop the children off at the relevant schools and bus-stops, before popping into town to do the food shopping and then back to do some art. Drop-off went fine, all according to plan, then I started catching up with a friend, we stopped when we heard the church bells chiming 10 o'clock. Fortunately they are 15 minutes slow but it was still later than planned. I then decided to have a cuppa and catch up on emails and sort out shopping list. I have another commission - whoopeee! Need to email back and work on some ideas for it, but all good:0)

I then went into town - some 1 and 1/2 hours later than originally intended. On my return I cracked on with some abstracts.Then I picked up an acrylic painting I started months ago. It's been sitting there, the errors in the figures shouting at me, so I spent ages correcting them. All the time thinking something was wrong, the paint wasn't mixing properly. I finally looked at the tubes and realised I'd put white OIL paint on the palette instead of ACRYLIC! You can put oil over acrylic but not the other way around...so it had to come off, all of it. I was not happy (*@@@@****???????) Anyway, now I've written my post I'm going to do some sketching, not sure what yet.

So, in the best traditions of Blue Peter

Here's one I did earlier

P9102386

US Presidents: Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) was a US politician in the Republican party who was president of the US from 1861 to 1865. He won political support in the Northern states because of his speeches against slavery, but this made him unpopular in the Southern states where slaves did most of the farm work. The American Civil War started soon after he became president when the Southern states decided to leave the US. In 1863 he announced the Emancipation Proclamation , by which all the slaves in the US became free people. He also gave a famous speech known as the Gettysburgh Address in 1863. A few days after the war ended, he was shot and killed in a treatre by an actor called John Wilkes Booth. Lincoln is considered to be one of the most important US presidents, and was sometimes called 'Honest Abe' because everyone admired his honesty. His picture appears on the US five-dollar bill, and on the one-cent coin.
Lincoln's birthday is on February 12th and it is a legal holiday in many US states.

Did you know?

Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin. Most children learn this fact in school because it is supposed to show that you do not have to come from a rich powerful family to become President. The idea that any US citizen can become president is an important part of the way Americans think of their country.

* Lincoln Green

The term Lincoln green is not related to either the president Abraham Lincoln or America. It is a cloth of a bright green colour originally made at Lincoln in England.

Robin Hood and his merry men in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, are said to have worn this colour. It was produced by the dyers of Lincoln. "Coventry blue" and "Kendall green" were also famous colours linked with the dyers of English towns.

Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it...

Even if the 'history' was only a few years ago...



My what short memories people have.

Source

Related Info:

Another War in the Works

The U.S., Iran and Nuclear Terror

Bush Aides Continue to Defend George Bush's Legacy and Link Iraq to 9/11

"There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. The NSC had no patience with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime's record. There was little discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action." - Source: The Downing Street Memo

"The Downing Street "Memo" is actually the minutes of a meeting, transcribed during a gathering of many of the British Prime Minister's senior ministers on July 23, 2002. Published by The Sunday Times on May 1, 2005 this document was the first hard evidence from within the UK or US governments that exposed the truth about how the Iraq war began." - Source: http://downingstreetmemo.com

This all just goes to further prove the point that "moving forward" without truth and justice is a bad idea!

Debunker Paint

Now I wasn't really that impressed with the new Loose Change film to be honest. The historical stuff was interesting (particularly the bit about the Coup plot against Roosevelt) and the narration and music was generally an improvement. But I thought the editing was a bit half-assed in places (Did it really cost them more than a million dollars?) and in terms of its 9/11 stuff it wasn't really anything special. I prefer the Final Cut. Probably the best piece of footage in the entire movie was this little shot of a 'paint' chip being ignited. Now I don't know what debunkers paint their houses with but let's just say I don't want any of it near my house.



Related Info:

More About That Exploding Paint

National Geographic vs Loose Change 9/11: An American Coup

Monday, September 28, 2009

G20 - Welcome to the New World Order

Clips of the police brutality at the G20 protests in London and Pittsburgh. I was horrified watching videos of the G20 protests in Pittsburgh and had to make a video about it. I feel like I'm living in a science fiction movie. Never mind Nazi Germany, this is frickin' Star Wars! The police and Military better wake up soon. Is this the kind of world you want your children to grow up in?

This is the 'New World Order'. It is not New. And it is not order. Anyone who can still deny it now is officially deluded.

Music: A Perfect Circle - Counting Bodies Like Sheep.

National Geographic vs Loose Change 9/11: An American Coup

Factual back-up, sources, and further research materials:

Loose Change 9/11: An American Coup

With the departure of the Bush Administration and the arrival of an “era of transparency,” opportunities are arising for the disclosure of new information that may shed more light on the events that took place before and after 9/11/2001.

Dramatically narrated by Daniel Sunjata of FX’s Rescue Me, and an outspoken advocate for the First Responders, Loose Change 9/11: An American Coup first examines mysterious and infamous events that reshaped world history – from the Reichstag Fire in 1933 that catapulted Hitler to dictatorship – to the Gulf of Tonkin Incident in 1964 that led to the Vietnam War, and then takes viewers on a turbulent journey through several pivotal moments in history before delving into the most significant catastrophe in recent memory, 9/11.

Loaded with powerful, new footage and in-depth interviews with the likes of Steven Earl Jones, an American physicist who has discovered undetonated explosive material in multiple samples of dust from the World Trade Center collapses, this documentary presents a wide array of evidence both known and unknown…until now. Eight years later, the American people continue to live in the aftermath of 9/11 and deal with its ongoing repercussions. Is this just another machination of power on the timeline of history? If so, the real question is what happens next? Or better yet, what can we do to prevent another 9/11?

The film serves as a fundamental call to action which is fueled by hope that those affected by 9/11 will soon receive the answers that they have sought after for nearly a decade." - Source: http://www.loosechange911.com
Film Critic Reviews Loose Change 9/11: An American Coup

Script of Loose Change 9/11: An American Coup

Constructive Criticism of the Films Loose Change 2nd Edition and 9/11 Mysteries

Loose Change 911: An American Coup - Teaser - With Commentary

National Geographic Science & Conspiracy Part 5

9/11 truth: thermite & thermate

THE INFOWARRIOR with Jason Bermas: Jason Debunks National Geographic & No Planes BS!

"Thermate (sulfur plus thermite and possibly the form thermate-TH-3) was ALSO in evidence and probably intended to weaken critical steel members (e.g., residue/ material flowing with orange glow from the So. Tower just minutes before its collapse and the sulfidation of WTC steel reported in the FEMA report but ignored by NIST). Thermite incendiary without sulfur is not in evidence at the WTC to date.

But sulfur is NOT needed for the function of explosive nanothermite and would not be expected to appear in the red/gray chips." - Steven Jones - Source: http://911debunkers.blogspot.com/2009/05/who-needs-debunking-when-insults-are-so.html

Super hero Mike Rivero of the website WhatReallyHappened.com doesn't think the thermite used by Nat Geo was very super, even for commercial thermite; he states, "Whatever the National Geographic used on this experiment, it does not appear to be as energetic as thermite I have used myself."

Even if super thermite (thermate) had been used in the experiment, Steve Weathers of SpookyWeather.blogspot.com makes an important point about the method used; he states, "I recommend repeating this same experiment but with the Thermite, or rather a Thermate derivative (one of the enhanced forms of Thermite actually detected at ground zero), placed INSIDE THE STEEL COLUMN."

Yes indeed Steve, inside might work! Or in a shaped charge. Or in a sol-gel. Or in a linear thermite cutting device. Anything but a friggin' upside down lampshade!

9/11 Blueprint for Truth Debut on Colorado Public Television

Music from Loose Change 9/11: An American Coup - Remo Conscious "Welcome to the Aftermath"

Dear friends who've just viewed the National Geographic Conspiracy Theory on 9/11

Exchange of emails (March 2009) with Robert Erickson, producer of the National Geographic special on 9/11

National Geographic Does 9/11: Another Icon Debased in Service of the Big Lie - Like Popular Mechanics' 9/11 Lies Straw Man, only dumber?

Finally, an apology from the National Geographic Channel

National Geographic Channel on 9/11: Manipulation vs. Objectivity

Alex Jones and Richard Gage Debunk the National Geographic Hit Piece on 9/11 Truth

Debunking National Geographic - 9/11 Science and Conspiracy

National Geographic: "Science" and "Psychology"

National Geographic Should Stick to Documentaries About Girls Who Cry Blood

Sander Hicks: "National Geographic Pseudo-Science?"

National Geographic hitpiece will prove 9/11 fire collapse theory to be impossible.

National Geographic to Air New 911 "Documentary".

9/11 truth: thermite & thermate

About Steven Jones and evidence of Nano-Thermite in WTC Dust

Out and about, again!

Finally, I had a day without children. Ewan was off Wednesday to Friday last week, sigh! He's much better now. I had a few small tasks to do in Buckingham today, so I took advantage of the situation to do some sketching. It was going to be a watercolour pencil sketch but got converted into a line and wash, seems to work better for buildings.
Buckingham Parish Church
I've left the sketchbook edges, for artistic effect, yes, that's it. I've been doing a lot of buildings over the last year as they're something I've tended to avoid. I never felt I was any good at them, I'm coming around. I also tend to be put off by complex buildings, but I'm realising that they're actually easier.
I've also started a two abstracts, I love days when I get some control over what I do!

Love Actually

Hello friends !

What a week it has been .

Lots of free time to do all sorts of stuffs .

God only knows .

Anyways , during the week I spend most of my time playing tennis . I'm almost on the breakthrough of finding my rhythm to serve the ball perfectly .

Still need more time though .

Other than that , I've been busy studying a pile of Science papers my tuition teacher gave . It's like , bigger than a dictionary .

Perhaps , twice the size . This is due to the fact that my teacher gave the tests , chapter by chapter . So , do the math and you'll find out how thick Science Form One to Three will be .

Yes . I cannot deny the fact that I have been eating luxuriously for the past week . As there were too much time to spare , my mum and I went to all sorts of restaurants to feast on all sorts of food .

Ah , what lovely times I've had . What lovely times my stomach , had .



Though , PMR is next week . So , this might be my post until PMR is over .

I hope to God that PMR goes by swiftly . Can't wait to hang out with friends and concentrate on my tennis full time once PMR is over .

Come to think of it , I've had three invitations to go Sunway Lagoon once PMR is over .

But I have not accepted any of the invitations yet as I would like to plan my days first , before scheduling my activities .


***********


Roger Federer , is still number one in the world , just so you know . (:

Oh ! Speaking of tennis , the Malaysian Open has begun !

With professional tennis players all around the world coming to Malaysia to battle their hearts out to win more than RM1mil worth of cash prize and of course , the ever-important ATP points ( without the points , we can never differentiate number One from Two ) .

And as usual , with no shock that comes to me , as expected ..

All the Malaysian tennis players that participated this prestigious event has in fact ,

LOST AT THE FIRST ROUND .

Now .. why am I not surprised ?

I was actually able to purchase tickets to watch maybe , a few tennis matches ( doesn't matter where I am seated ) .

But of course , my dreams of watching a professional tennis game LIVE has once again been shattered to bits because of ?

PMR ...


************

There's a new movie I would recommend you to watch .

Well , the recommendation is not coming from me .

It's from my mum . It's called ,

Somewhere In Time .

Someday In The Past , He Will Find Her .


Reeve plays Richard Collier , a playright who becomes smitten by a photograph of a young woman at the Grand Hotel . Through self-hypnosis , he travels back in time to the year 1912 to find love with actress Elise McKenna ( portrayed by Seymour ) .

But her manager William Fawcett Robinson ( portrayed by Plummer ) fears that romance will derail her career and resolves to stop him .

This love story is one of the most famous movies . When it comes to my family , that is .

Ask any adult of my family and they'll tell you this movie is legendary ( as this movie was created during 1980's , the time of the adults of my family ) .

Here's a simple synopsis of the story :

Richard , stays at the Grand Hotel , sees a potrait of Elise
and ' travels back ' through time to meet this woman .
And as cupid wanted it , they both fall in love with each other .
But soon , he wakes up back in his hotel room in the same as he just left ,
although now it is 68 years later .
Desperately wanting to return , Richard tries to hypnotize himself again , but was unsuccesful.
After wandering around the hotel property and sitting interminably at the places where he shared his innermost thoughts with Elise in the potrait ,
the protagonist eventually retires to his room and remains there until discovered by another dude , who then calls for a doctor .
Richard then sees himself drifting above his body , and he is drawn to a light shining through the nearby window.
There he sees Elise , with whom he will presumably be reunited
forever.


I know . Long synopsis , is it ?

Well , another reason why this show is marvelous , is that the pianist , the outstanding Rachmaninov plays the theme of the movie .

Listen to this short version it .


This is why ' Somewhere In Time '
is so famous among my famly .


**************

Well , I have spent enought time rattling .

I believe it's time for me to take my leave .



Good night , and big balls !


Lve ,
Jaden

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Voices Of The Voiceless - LowKey & Immortal Technique

hanaaB
YouTube.com
September 27, 2009



Buy now from iTunes - http://www.blogger.com/redirect?username=hanaaB&q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.short.to%2Fr1mn&video_id=0fxbLwAzoYw&event=url_redirect&url_redirect=True&usg=sxEPZWopJpOr1cxOeVkn37DTJxU=

www.twitter.com/lowkeyuk

www.twitter.com/immortaltech

http://www.viperrecords.com

http://www.lowkeyuncensored.com

www.myspace.com/lowkeyuk

Related Info:

DEBUNKING "9/11 Debunked: Thermate Chemical Signatures Disproven" rkOWNED

LOWKEY - OBAMA NATION (OFFICIAL VIDEO) - BANNED FROM TV (DOWNLOAD ON MAY 3RD!!)

LOWKEY - TERRORIST? (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

Beautiful / Pięknie

Vocabulary: Kids

Kid is an informal word to refer to a child.
I'm taking the kids (= my children) to the zoo this afternoon.

The word kid can also be used to refer to a young person:
college kids
These soldiers are just kids.

In American English kid can be used as an adjective: (of a brother or sister) younger
his kid sister

Kiddie is an informal word to refer to a small child
I carry my little boy in a kiddy seat on the back of my bike.

Kiddo (esp. Am E spoken) is a way of addressing someone you know, usually a young person.
Come on kido, let's go.

Kid's stuff (in Am E) something that is suitable only for children, because it is too simple, unsophisticated or boring.
The exam was kid's stuff compared to the one we had last year.

Very British: Highland Dress

Highland dress is a set of clothes worn by some Scottish men on special occasions, for example at a wedding. Highland dress consists of a short black jacket, a bow tie, a kilt and long socks with a small knife kept under the fold at the top of one of the socks.

Kilt

A kilt is a skirt with many pressed folds at the back and sides, and usually of a tartan pattern, worn especially by Scotsmen. People often make jokes about the fact that men are believed to wear nothing under their kilts.

Sgian dubh

The sgian dubh is a ceremonial knife (Gaelic sgian) worn as part of the modern Scottish Highland dress along with the kilt. It is worn tucked into the hose with only the pommel visible. The sgian dubh is normally worn on the right leg, but can also be worn on the left, depending on whether the wearer is right or left-handed.

Art & History: The Portrait That Was Destroyed

Graham Sutherland (August 24, 1903 – February 17, 1980) was an English artist. From 1940 Sutherland was employed as an official artist in World War II, as part of the War artist Scheme. He worked on the Home Front, depicting mining, industry, and bomb damage.
Sutherland also painted a number of portraits, with one of Somerset Maugham (1949) the first and among the most famous. When Winston Churchill was in his eighties, Sutherland painted his portrait, which had the look of a befuddled bulldog. Churchill openly reviled the work, and the portrait was destroyed: it was burned on the orders of Churchill's wife out of anger only a year or two after its completion...
The controversial portrait of Sir Winston Churchill, which Churchill himself hated because he said it 'makes me look half-witted', was commissioned in 1954 by past and present members of the House of Lords and House of Commons, and presented to the great statesman as a celebration of his eightieth birthday at a ceremony in Westminster Hall on November 30, 1954.

Word Distinction: Talking About Temperatures

Low Temperatures

Cold suggests a lower temperature than cool, perhaps uncomfortably low:
cold weather
Cool often suggests a pleasantly low temperature:
a nice cool breeze
a lovely cool room
(said when you are hot)

High Temperatures

In the same way, hot suggests a higher temperature than warm, or a temperature which would not be comfortable for a long period. Warm often suggests a pleasantly high temperature:
The handle is too hot to touch.
I've caught a cold, so I'm going to take a hot bath and go to bed.
I could lie in a warm bath for hours.
a llvoely warm room
(said when you are cold)

Thunderbird: The Car & The Wine

Thunderbird (also called T-bird) is a type of car made by Ford and sold in the US. Thunderbirds became very popular with young people in the late 1950s because they were fast and fashionable cars, which are remembered for having tail fins.

Thunderbird is also a type of strong pale wine. In the US, Thunderbird is often drunk by winos (= people who live in the streets and drink too much). In the UK, Thunderbird is drunk especially by students.

Dame Edna, An Australian Lady


Dame Edna Everage is a character played by Australian comedian Barry Humphries. As Dame Edna, Humphries has written several books and hosted various television shows (on which Humphries has also appeared as himself).
Although Humphries freely states that Dame Edna is a character he plays, Dame Edna consistently denies being a fictional character or drag performer, and refers to Humphries as her "entrepreneur" or manager. Indeed, Dame Edna has frequently said that the thought of a man dressing up as a woman for entertainment purposes is repulsive.
Dame Edna is easily recognisable for her lilac-coloured hair (which she claims is an entirely natural wisteria hue) and over-the-top cat eye glasses. She spends her time visiting world leaders and jet-setting between her homes in Los Angeles, London, Sydney, Switzerland and Martha's Vineyard. She is a friend and confidante of the Queen.
Dame Edna is praised for her insights into her homeland. When asked why Australians are so good at sport she commented "Good food and diet; open air life; juicy steaks; sunshine — and the total absence of any kind of intellectual distraction."
On 7 March 2007 her home town, Melbourne, re-named a city street in her honour: Dame Edna Place, formerly Brown Alley off Little Collins Street, was officially opened by the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, John So. Dame Edna was not at the renaming ceremony but was represented by ten look-alike Dames.
In MAC Cosmetics 2008 Winter Line-Up, a Dame Edna collection of cosmetics were released including eye shadow, lipstick, powder, and nail polish.
Dame Edna speaks with a strong Australian accent and often makes fun of people in the audience.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

It's Only Africa.

(Picture taken from BBC Newsnight website.)

by Kwaku Osei, Saybrook College, Yale 2010
Accra, Ghana

I don’t blog.

It’s just not something I do. I have never really felt so strongly about something that I feel the urge to write it down and share it with the world. And on the off- chance that something really gets my blood boiling, I have never felt like I have much to say. This has been my philosophy for the better part of the past few years.

So what is it, you ask, that brought me out from hiding and forced me to go against my philosophy on blogging? Oh, only some new developments in the biggest toxic dumping scandal of the 21st century that no one is talking about! I was so pissed off when I read this article; not only because the Ivory Coast is near and dear to my heart (my older brother grew up there) but also because it is yet another reminder of a global attitude towards the African continent that continues to anger, frustrate, and confuse myself, other Africans, and all human beings with any sense of empathy.



If before now, you haven't heard of the Trafigura Scandal, I encourage you to take 10 minutes to educate yourself by watching this video. For those of you with a little more time on your hands, or with more of a need to procrastinate, this video goes a bit more in depth. And if you prefer to read go here.

The initial article that I linked to (and the one that inspired me to hop into the blogosphere) basically says that emails obtained by the BBC reveal that high level executives in Trafigura, the oil company at the center of the case, knew perfectly well about the hazardous nature of the waste that they were dumping in the Ivory Coast and were perfectly aware that it might have dangerous consequences for the population living there. This discredits their previously held stance that the toxic waste couldn't possibly have caused the illnesses and deaths in the affected regions.

"The e-mails obtained by [BBC] Newsnight show that in the months before the waste was dumped the company knew about the difficulties they would face in disposing of the waste. 'This operation is no longer allowed in the European Union, the United States and Singapore" it is "banned in most countries due to the 'hazardous nature of the waste,' one e-mail warns. Another e-mail points out that "environmental agencies do not allow disposal of the toxic caustic."

This new development raises many questions. Why did Trafigura, knowing all of this, and after being prevented from treating the waste in the Netherlands, decide to move it to the Ivory Coast, a country still recovering from civil war? Why is this scandal so underrepresented in the media, and barely even reported on? How would the coverage and handling of the scandal be different if the waste had been dumped in a different country?

I think the answer to one of these “Whys?” is pretty easy to determine: Because companies, and especially oil companies, are out to make profits. This is what happens when corporations focus solely on their bottom line. Stories like just convince me that a lot of right can be done in the world if we set our goals above the bottom line, putting people over profits.

The other reason why this happened and why it's so under- reported is even more frustrating to acknowledge. After telling this story to my friend Drew Ruben (great kid, founder of Blue State Coffee; y'all should check him out) he said as horrified as he was he wasn't surprised. You see a few months ago, he had the opportunity to meet Harold Koh, former Dean of Yale Law School and current legal adviser to the United States Department of State. Ruben asked him "Why isn't more being done or said about the Darfur conflict?"

Koh’s response? "Because it's Africa."

That's the way the world thinks. It should therefore not be surprising that a company like Trafigura would feel that they can get away with injustice. We also should not be surprised that stories like this never make mainstream media.

After all, it's only Africa.

Check out Kwaku's blog, Afropolithoughts, here.

Stan Laurel

Finally had a good drawing day after my lack of focus since Wednesday. Alright, strictly speaking it's yesterday. Managed to do some sketching in the morning, finish of a sketch of the living room - started yesterday - and this caricature of Stan Laurel. It's not the one I started the other week - I inadvertently threw out the picture before I had chance to finish it. He's far too easy to do, but very satisfying.

Stan Laurel

All this and fit in an eye test, visitors, feeding the family and watching an episode of "Merlin".

Now... I suppose I ought to do one of Oliver Hardy.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Cool Links: English Monarchs

A complete link containing information about the history of the English royal monarchies and their royal residences. It also includes detailed data about the Tower of London and the crown Jewels.

Cool Link:
English Monarchs

Driving in the US and UK

In most parts of the US you must be at least 15 to learn to drive and 16 to get a driver´s licence. In the UK you must at least be 17 before you can learn to drive or get a driving licence. When you are learning to drive in either country, you must have a legal document called a learner’s permit (in the US), or provisional licence (in the UK) . This document allows you to practise driving with someone who already has a licence, and is changed into a full licence (= one which allows you to drive alone) when you pass your driving test.
People in the UK usually learn to drive by having private driving lessons. Most high schools in the US, however, offer a course called Driver’s Education. These classes teach students how to drive and also teach them the laws about driving in their state.

Word Distinction: Degrees of Humidity

The words damp, humid and moist all denote degrees of humidity. Damp is often used in a bad sense:
I can’t wear these socks; they are damp.
Moist is used especially of food and parts of the body, and often has a good sense (= not too dry):
a rich, moist cake
moist eyes/lips
Humid is a more scientific word usually used of climate or weather:
It was hot and humid in the jungle.

Word Distinction: Judging Games

A referee is a judge in charge of some games.
Referee is used in connection with basketball, boxing, football, hockey, lacrosse, rugby, snooker, squash, and wrestling.
Umpire is used in connection with badminton, baseballl, cricket, swimming, tennis and volleyball.

Vocabulary: Diseases

Though illness and disease are often used in the same way, illness is really a state, or length of time, of being unwell, which may be caused by a disease. It is diseases that can be caught and passed on if they are infectious, and are the subject of medical study:
Several children are away from school because of illness.
a rare heart disease

List of Diseases Spanish/English

difteria: diphtheria
gripe: flu
hepatitis A, B, C: hepatitis A, B, C
sarampiĂłn: measles
meningitis: meningitis
paperas: mumps
pertusis: pertussis, whooping cough
polio, parĂĄlisis infantil: polio
rubĂ©ola, sarampiĂłn alemĂĄn, “alfombrilla”: rubella, German measles
tétano: lockjaw
varicela: chickenpox
encefalitis: encephalitis
lepra: leprosy
botulismo: botulism
brucelosis: brucellosis
cĂłlera: cholera
conjuntivitis: conjunctivitis
dengue: dengue
escabiosis, sarna, acariasis: scabies
fiebre amarilla: yellow fever
fiebre reumĂĄtica: rheumatic fever
fiebre tifoidea: typhoid fever
malaria, paludismo: malaria
mononucleosis infecciosa: mononucleosis infectious
neumonĂ­a, pulmonĂ­a: pneumonia
peste: plague
psitacosis: psittacosis
rabia: rabies
síndrome urémico hemolítico: hemolytic uremic syndrome
toxoplasmosis: toxoplasmosis
triquinosis: trichinosis
viruela: smallpox

British Stereotypes: The City Gent

A city gent is a man who wears a dark or pinstripe suit to his job in the business or government institutions of central London. When people think of city gents they have in their minds a picture of a man wearing a bowler hat and carrying a black umbrella, even though few people look like this today.

American Drinks: Mint Julep

Julep (or mint julep) is an American drink in which alcohol and sugar are mixed and poured over ice, and mint is added. Americans connect this drink with summertime and the South, where it is popular. It is a custom to drink it while watching the Kentucky Derby.
At the 2006 Kentucky Derby, custom-made mint juleps were made at a cost of $1000 each. The mint juleps were served in gold-plated cups with silver straws, and were made from Woodford Reserve bourbon, mint imported from Ireland, ice from the Bavarian Alps, and sugar from Australia. The proceeds were used to support charitable causes dedicated to retired race horses.

Did you know?

The word julep was originally used to designate a syrupy drink in which medicine was given. It is a French word which means "rose water". Julep in the sense of "alcoholic drink flavoured with mint" was first recorded in 1787.

A Predictable Future

By Ashley Gutierrez, Filipina

Silliman College, Yale 2010

Will the Philippines put its foot down against the United States (U.S.)? The Department of Foreign Affairs (Philippines) is reviewing the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), which governs the treatment of American troops engaged in joint military exercises in the Philippines, after recommendations from the Senate and the House Human Rights Committee. There are complaints of the VFA being a "downright unconstitutional treaty" and that the Philippines has been getting the "short end of the stick." Highlighted by the case of the American Marine placed under United States' custody last year instead of in a Philippine prison after raping a Filipina, the claims of the VFA being "lopsided" is a fact that I personally believe most Filipinos know about - and have chosen to ignore.

Or will that now change?

Re-evaluating or possibly terminating the VFA is a bold move. Yes, it will do a lot for Philippine sovereignty. Yes, it will affect RP (Republic of the Philippines)- U.S. relations. But the VFA is also necessary for stability in the region and the fight against terrorism.

That said, I am almost positive of how this will turn out: The review will indeed find that the VFA is lopsided. There will be many recommendations for change. The U.S. is getting the most out of this deal. But nothing will change. Because at the end of the day, the Philippines is still too dependent on the U.S. The country is too unstable at the moment given the conflict between the government and the Muslims in Mindanao. President Arroyo is trying to forge a strong relationship with Obama before the 2010 Presidential elections. The Philippines needs the U.S. much more than it needs us.

In short, once again, the Philippines will bend backwards to accommodate the U.S.

Read more on this issue here.

Correction for YJHR Issue i, Fall 2009


The pullquote on page 14 ("New Solutions or New Problems" by Justin Petrillo) is an excerpt mistakenly taken from the previous article ("The United States and Human Rights: Still Only Halfway There" by Jordan Laris Cohen). The editors apologize for the error and any confusion this may have caused our readers.

9/11 Debunker Gets His Ass Handed To Him By Richard Gage - 20/07/2009

Steeper33
YouTube.com
September 23, 2009

On Monday, July 20, 2009, Baltimore GrassRoots Media followed Richard Gage, AIA, founder of Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth, on the final day of his visit to Washington, D.C.

The final stop was the White House where Gage, with David Slesinger, laid an AE911Truth banner on the sidewalk and addressed the tourists gathered there. Gage got into a heated but cordial debate with a man who identified himself as Kevin, a "reformed truther" and the former "debunking director" on the JREF Forum.

Original YouTube post



Related Info:

Even NIST now admits that, "the damage from the debris from WTC 1 had little effect on initiating the collapse."

"Of course the diesel fuel for WTC 7's emergency generators was something that seemed to have some promise, but no. They state that, the diesel fuel "played no role in the destruction of WTC 7," and that it was "the first known instance of fire causing the total collapse of a tall building," and that they were "similar to fires experienced in other tall buildings." - Source: http://911debunkers.blogspot.com/2008/08/my-demolition-company.html

Remember the BBC WTC7 hitpiece? Remember when Richard Gage attempted to explain the large amount of smoke around the south side of Building 7 by saying it was negative pressure - which he has been thoroughly mocked for? Well it's not as ridiculous as it sounds. Click here to see why...

NIST Debunks Itself

The Un-Debunkable Molten Metal

Analyzing Larry Silverstein's "Pull It" Comment

"Pulling" Building 7 - An Overlooked Explanation

"I am well aware of Mr. Silverstein's statement, but to the best of my recollection, I did not speak to him on that day and I do not recall anyone telling me that they did either. That doesn't mean he could not have spoken to someone from FDNY, it just means that I am not aware of it." - FDNY Chief of Operations Daniel Nigro (fire department commander) on 9/11

WeAreCHANGE confronts Larry Silverstein 3/13/08

WeAreChange Debunks the BBC at Ground Zero 9/11/08

WeAreChange Debunks the BBC part 2: A Call to Action

I too have been accused of being an "FDNY hating scumbag" for posting this blog, scroll down and take a look at the update.

Many great comments on this video at 911blogger.com

Of course this is all besides the point since the explosives have been found!

Food & Cooking: Two Popular Dressings in the USA

* Grey Poupon Mustard

Grey Poupon is a type of Dijon-style mustard sold in the US, which is typically bought by people who eat expensive, high quality food. Mustards from Dijon today generally contain both white wine and burgundy wine.

* Ranch dressing

Ranch dressing is a creamy buttermilk-based dressing with garlic and other spices and herbs.
The etymology of the word was developed at Hidden Valley Ranch in Santa Barbara in the 1950s.

American Presidents: Lincoln - Kennedy coincidences


Amazing coincidences or just an urban legend? Read them and decide for yourself.

- Lincoln's name has 7 letters
- Kennedy's name has 7 letters

- In Lincoln's & Kennedy's names the vowels & consonants fall in exactly the same place;***
in the order c, v, c, c, v, c, c

- Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846
- Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946

- Lincoln was elected president in 1860
- Kennedy was elected president in 1960

- Kennedy had a secretary named Lincoln

- War was thrust upon Lincoln almost immediately after inauguration
- War was thrust upon Kennedy almost immediately after inauguration

- Lincoln ordered the Treasury to print its own money
- Kennedy ordered the Treasury to print its own money

- International bankers may have arranged the assassinations of Lincoln and Kennedy

- Lincoln gave negroes freedom and legalized equality
- Kennedy enforced equality for negroes

- Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863
- Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963

- Lincoln was loved by the common people and hated by the establishment
- Kennedy was loved by the common people and hated by the establishment

- Lincoln was succeeded, after assassination, by vice-president Johnson
- Kennedy was succeeded, after assassination, by vice-president Johnson

- Andrew Johnson was born in 1808
- Lyndon Johnson was born in 1908

- Andrew Johnson's name has 13 letters
- Lyndon Johnson's name has 13 letters

- Andrew Johnson had a pug nose and slicked-back hair
- Lyndon Johnson had a pug nose and slicked-back hair

- Lincoln was sitting beside his wife when he was shot
- Kennedy was sitting beside his wife when he was shot

- Rathbone, who was with Lincoln when he was shot, was injured (by being stabbed)
- Connally, who was with Kennedy when he was shot, was injured (by being shot)
- Rathbone's name has 8 letters
- Connally's name has 8 letters

- Lincoln's wife held his head in her lap after he was shot
- Kennedy's wife held his head in her lap after he was shot

- Lincoln was shot on a Friday
- Kennedy was shot on a Friday

- Lincoln was shot in a theatre named Ford
- Kennedy was shot in a car made by Ford

- Kennedy was shot in a car named Lincoln

- Lincoln's bodyguard was away from his post at the door of the President's box at the theatre
- Kennedy's bodyguards were away from their posts on the running-boards of the President's car

- Lincoln was shot in a theatre and his assassin ran to a warehouse
- JFK was shot from a warehouse and his alleged assassin ran to a theatre

- Lincoln's assassin had a three-worded name, John Wilkes Booth
- Kennedy's alleged assassin had a three-worded name, Lee Harvey Oswald

- John Wilkes Booth has 15 letters
- Lee Harvey Oswald has 15 letters

- John Wilkes Boothe was born in 1839
- Lee Harvey Oswald was born in 1939

- Lincoln didn't die immediately after being shot
- Kennedy didn't die immediately after being shot

- Lincoln and Kennedy died in places beginning with the initials P and H
- Lincoln died in Petersen's house
- Kennedy died in Parkland Hospital

- Booth was shot and killed* in police custody before going to trial
- Oswald was shot and killed in police custody before going to trial

- Kennedy's funeral was modelled on Lincoln's funeral

- Andrew Johnson was a heavy drinker with crude behaviour
- Lyndon Johnson was a heavy drinker with crude behaviour

- There were conspiracy theories that Johnson was knowledgeable about Lincoln's assassination
- There were conspiracy theories that Johnson was knowledgeable about Kennedy's assassination

- Days before it happened Lincoln told his wife and friends about a dream he'd had of being shot by an assassin
- Hours before it happened Kennedy told his wife and friends it would be easy for an assassin to shoot him from a crowd

- Shortly after Lincoln was shot the telegraph system went down
- Shortly after Kennedy was shot the telephone system went down

- Kennedy's father had been the Ambassador to England at the Court of St James
- Lincoln's son became the Ambassador to England at the Court of St James

- Lincoln and Kennedy were 2 of the greatest presidents of the nation

- Lincoln's wife tastefully and expensively re-decorated the White House
- Kennedy's wife tastefully and expensively re-decorated the White House

- Lincoln loved great literature and could recite poetry by heart
- Kennedy loved great literature and could recite poetry by heart

- Lincoln had young children while living at the White House
- Kennedy had young children while living at the White House

- Lincoln's sons had ponies they rode on the White House grounds
- Kennedy's daughter had a pony she rode on the White House grounds

- Lincoln lost a child (12 year old son) to death while President
- Kennedy lost a child (newly born son) to death while President

- Lincoln had 2 sons named Robert and Edward. Edward died young and Robert lived on.
- Kennedy had 2 brothers named Robert and Edward. Robert died young and Edward lived on

- Lincoln let his children run and play in his office
- Kennedy let his children run and play in his office

- After Lincoln's assassination the nation experienced an emotional convulsion
- After Kennedy's assassination the nation experienced an emotional convulsion

- The whole world cried when Lincoln died
- The whole world cried when Kennedy died

- Lincoln's funeral train travelled from Washington-DC to New York
- Kennedy's brother's funeral train travelled from New York to Washington-DC

- Abraham was the first name of the man who filmed Kennedy's murder in the Lincoln

- The man running alongside Kennedy's car snapping pictures with his 35mm camera was a salesman of Lincoln cars

- Kennedy bought a Virginia home that was the 1861 Civil War headquarters of Lincoln's first general-in-chief, McClellan

- Jefferson Davis was the name of the president of the Confederate states while Lincoln was president of the Union states
- Jefferson Davis Tippit was the name of the police officer killed allegedly by Kennedy's alleged assassin

- Lincoln was famous for his wit and for telling hilarious stories and anecdotes
- Kennedy was famous for his wit and for telling hilarious stories and anecdotes

- Lincoln was sitting in a rocking chair at Ford's Theater when he was shot
- Kennedy had a special rocking chair he sat in at the White House
- Henry Ford bought the rocking chair Lincoln died in and put it in his museum in Dearborn

- Kennedy's seat in the Lincoln he was sitting in when he was shot is in Ford's museum
- Lincoln's seat in the Ford he was sitting in when he was shot is in Ford's museum

- John Kennedy is the name of a character in a 1951 movie about a detective travelling by train to thwart the assassination of President Lincoln
- John Kennedy is the name of the real-life detective who travelled in the train with President Lincoln in 1860 to thwart his assassination

Scottish Wear: Ghillies & Tam o' Shanters

Ghillies are specially designed shoes used for several types of dance. They are soft shoes, similar to ballet shoes. They are used by women in Irish Dance, by men in Scottish Country Dance, and by men and women in Highland Dance.
Ghillies are also sometimes known by a variety of other names that include: ligh shoes, pomps, pumps, and soft shoes.

A tam o'shanter is a Scottish bonnet worn by men which was named after the character Tam o' Shanter in the poem of that name by Robert Burns. The bonnet is made of wool with a toorie (pompon) in the centre, and the crown is about twice the diameter of the head. Originally they were only made in blue because of the lack of chemical dyes, and were called "blue bonnets". They are now available in plain colours or in different tartans.

Language, Letters & Numbers

* E number

E number is a number with the letter E in front of it which appears in the list of ingredients on containers of food or drink in the UK. Each E number represents a different chemical that has been added to the food or drink.
In the US these substances are shown by their chemical names:
Pork, Salt, Breadcrumbs (with colour E160c), Preservatives E250, E252.

* Section Eight

A Section Eight is an order that somebody should by dismissed from the US army because of a mental illness. The character of Clinger in the television show M*A*S*H always dresses in women's clothes and pretends to to be crazy because he wants to get a Section Eight.

Types of Parties: BYOB

BYOB is the abbreviation for Bring Your Own Bottle (or Bring Your Own Booze= alcoholic drink) and is written on a party invitation to ask guests to bring an alcoholic drink with them. In Australia, this expression is also used to mean a restaurant where customers can bring their own alcohol:
Is it a BYOB?

Language & Mythology: The Cassandra Complex

In ancient Greek stories, Cassandra was the daughter of Priam, the King of Troy. The god Apollo gave her the power to see what would happen in the future, but he also made sure that no one would believe her, so when she warned her father that the Greeks could use the Trojan Horse to take control of Troy, no one believed her. Struck by her beauty, Apollo had provided her with the gift of prophecy, but when Cassandra refused Apollo's romantic advances, he placed a curse ensuring that nobody would believe her warnings. Cassandra was then left with the knowledge of future events, but could neither alter these events nor convince others of the validity of her predictions.
People are sometimes called a “Cassandra” if they warn that something bad will happen, but no one believes them. The Cassandra metaphor (variously labelled the Cassandra 'syndrome', 'complex', 'phenomenon', 'predicament', 'dilemma', or 'curse'), is a term applied in situations in which valid warnings or concerns are dismissed or disbelieved.

Fun Facts: Do Cats Have Nine Lives?

Surprisingly, some people still believe in this superstition. But where does this misconception trace its roots? And why do people still say that cats have nine lives when it is clearly biologically impossible?
Well, cats can survive a fall from high-rise buildings with minimal or no injuries. Cats can survive accidents that would have killed humans. And cats can survive on eating food that is not suited for humans. So, is it true that cats really have nine lives? No. It is just a saying with no grain of truth on it. The fact that cats have a higher chance of survival compared to humans have nothing to do with lives, it has everything to do with their bodies’ design.
Cats are able to survive from falls because it has four paws, have the ability to bend their legs, and have a good sense of balance. When cats fall from a building, they can still land on their feet because even if they fall upside down, they can easily reposition themselves on air to ensure that they will land on four paws. Cats also have the ability to cushion the intensity of their landing. Their bones will not easily break because the force of the impact is distributed to the muscles and joints.
It is surprising to note that unlike humans, cats actually have a greater chance of survival if they fall from a higher place. There are data available from New York veterinarians who observed that more cats will die from a fall of 2-6 stories compared to those who fall from 7-32 stories. Laws of physics suggest that the rates will vary.
Regardless of their mass, all falling objects accelerate by 22 miles per hour every send they fall. But once it reaches the “terminal velocity”, the object’s friction will allow the fall to slow down depending on the mass. The smaller the object and the bigger its area, the more it will slow down. So if a cat falls from a higher floor, it can spread its legs like an umbrella, this increases the area where air can push through. It slows down the cat’s fall and enables him to avoid fatal accidents.
It is clear that the belief that cats have nine lives has its basis. But continually believing this misconception will do nothing good. It will only make it appear ignorant and unaware of the cat’s innate design to survive otherwise fatal falls.