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Showing posts from February, 2010
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Yes! Today is the first day after the end of the daylight saving time. I'm sure some people forgot to move their clocks backward one hour. So, I'm here to remind you.

Elizabeth Bishop- Pink Dog

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PINK DOG [Rio de Janeiro] The sun is blazing and the sky is blue. Umbrellas clothe the beach in every hue. Naked, you trot across the avenue. Oh, never have I seen a dog so bare! Naked and pink, without a single hair... Startled, the passersby draw back and stare. Of course they're mortally afraid of rabies. You are not mad; you have a case of scabies but look intelligent. Where are your babies? (A nursing mother, by those hanging teats.) In what slum have you hidden them, poor bitch, while you go begging, living by your wits? Didn't you know? It's been in all the papers, to solve this problem, how they deal with beggars? They take and throw them in the tidal rivers. Yes, idiots, paralytics, parasites go bobbing int the ebbing sewage, nights out in the suburbs, where there are no lights. If they do this to anyone who begs, drugged, drunk, or sober, with or without legs, what would they do to sick, four-legged dogs? In the ca

Podcasts

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Although they are really used and very common nowadays, I still talk to people who still don't know what a podcast is. For these people, here is a simple definition: A podcast is a pre-recorded audio program that's posted to a website and is made available for download so people can listen to them on personal computers or mobile devices . To get started using podcasts, check out the link on the bottom of the page. It will guide you to great information in british English from BBC website.

The Wolfman

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This evening I watched The Wolfman, a remake of the 1941 classic horror film of the same name. It is starred by Benicio Del Toro which I think is a brilliant actor. I'm not a huge fan of horror movies, but this one is quite good for me because the only horror features it has is blood and the beast. I really liked the settings. There's a lot of 19th century buildings that look gorgeous and act as a perfect contrast to the dark and creepy woods. Now some wiki facts: A werewolf or werwolf, also known as a lycanthrope (from the Greek λυκάνθρωπος: λύκος, lukos, "wolf", and άνθρωπος, anthrōpos, man), is a mythological or folkloric human with the ability to shapeshift into a wolf or an anthropomorphic wolf-like creature, either purposely, by being bitten or scratched by another werewolf, or after being placed under a curse. This transformation is often associated with the appearance of the full moon. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Werewolf

Ash Wednesday

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Today is Ash Wednesday one day after "Mardi Gras" (pronounced /ˈmɑrdi grɑː/) French for "Fat Tuesday" or "Shrove Tuesday",which refers to the practice of the last night of eating richer before the penitential season of Lent before easter. It lasts forty days(excluding Sundays) because of the forty days Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-11) That is why some people decide to give something up during the Lent such as chocolate, meat, beer or something they really like or are kind of addicted to. Going back to Ash Wednesday, the name derives from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of believers as a sign of repentance.The priest or minister when making the cross of ashes on someones forehead says the following: Remember, O man, that you are dust, and unto dust you shall return .—Genesis 3:19The purpose of this is to remind us of our mortality.

Carnival holiday- What about it?

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Hi guys.What's up? I haven't been able to write lately because my routine is quite busy and tiresome but fortunately now I having some days-off due to the Carnival( Carnaval) holiday. So, I decided to talk a little bit about it. Brazil is known all around the world not only but also because of this party. There are many types of celebrations all over the country. In fact, I am not very in to it. Actually, I am at home right now enjoying my free time.So, I am going to give some credits to the type of celebration in my state. Carnival in Minas Gerais is often characterized by blocos carnavalescos with varying themes and fantasy styles. There are even some Axé groups from Bahia who come to play in the state every carnival season. Although I have never been to Ouro Preto(which is a shame!)It is one of the most visited cities during the time. Its carnaval is very popular by college students in the area. The city has a large proportion of students, who during the year live in places