useful websites

As our listening exam is looming, I have here a collection of the superior listening quizzes for academic purposes:

http://www.esl-lab.com/

http://www.parapal-online.co.uk/listening.html

http://www.elllo.org/

http://www.gettoefl.com/preparation.htm

life with a French man

In a post I read on this blog yesterday Thomas wrote about the fact that he doesn't consider France to be a democratic country. How come?

Well, democracy should be about the power for the people by the people. In other words, the people we elect each year are those who are supposed to represent us, our voice. Here is where the root of the problem is. Instead of discussing the problems of the electorate, politicians start to fight about who will get the larger piece of the action and who knows what else. The end result is that you as a voter feel cheated by exactly those people who should have implemented their pledges to you and accordingly you lose the faith in the power of voting.

This is exactly what is happening to me at the moment. I've only voted for two times so far, but still I feel that there is not much point in voting again because:

a) all the parties have similar manifestos
b) when one party comes to power it instantly forgets all about its promises
c) for the next four years I only witness battles between the opposition and the party in power about who will take more money from the Croatian public

Nevertheless, I think I'm going to vote in the next general elections in November as it is my civic duty to do so although for the Croatian politics to change for better, there should be an earthquake which would bring the politicians to their senses again.

If you want to read what Thomas wrote about this explosive topic, take a look at:

http://lifewithafrenchman.blogspot.com/2007_01_01_archive.html

nerd's eye view

As Mandel is both a nature and cycling enthusiast, in the posts I've read from her last she wrote about the Iron Horse Trail and the Rattlesnake lake.

The Iron Horse Trail (picture above) is located in Pennsylvania and it has two sections with some moderate climbs which require you to wear quality hiking boots while admiring the magnificient countryside on foot or by bicycle.

Rattlesnake lake is a lake in Washington located in the Rattlesnake Mountain Scenic Area which is a mountain ridge crisscrossed with numerous foot paths.

Anyway, let me tell you now something about a topic which is close to my heart, but has nothing to do whatsoever with countryside. What I wish to talk about is something Mandel many a time writes about in her posts namely about my all-time favourite food-fish. Actually, to be more precise, about the rewards of fish being part of your daily diet.

First and foremost, fish together with other seafoods provides over a billion of people around the globe with animal protein. What's more, especially saltwater fish is high in Omega 3 fatty acids which contribute to a healthy heart, so a fish diet is highly recommendable to anyone.

Because of all the above mentioned, consuming fish is top of the agenda for me whenever I'm home as we have it on tap there. However, when I'm in Graz, my fish intake is much lower than it should be as I always make a song and dance about the fish sold in Austria. Somehow it doesn't taste like "genuine" fish to me although its taste is far from being bland.
I guess, that's the story of my life.

Sources:

http://www.visitpa.com/visitpa/details.pa?id=59713

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rattlesnake_Ridge

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_%28food%29

Ireland from a Polish perspective

Yesterday I read a post from Krystian's blog where he was going on about the integration of the ever-growing Polish community in Ireland and how the integration is still in its infancy. The rough estimate is that 130,000 Poles are living in Ireland at the moment.

To cater for their needs as an ethnic minority, they have a Polish weekly magazine published in Ireland (Polska Gazeta) as well as some Polish shops, pubs, and clubs. However, all this is just a drop in the ocean and the problems like the wage gap between Irish and Polish workers are still legion.

The moment I read this post it rang a bell because Ms Welland gave us a text to read for this week's class with a similar topic. It's message could be applied to the Polish in Ireland as the writer of the text thinks that today we are living in a super-diverse society and only if the legal status of immigrants is profoundly changed both on a national and local level, can a common ground to start on be created between immigrants and the locals.

I must say that this solution appears to me to be the soundest one. Nowadays, as no country can seal itself off from immigration, there should be mechanisms created that will be highly beneficial both for the immigrants and the locals. The last step that should be taken now is to walk the talk.

If you wish to read more about the Polish community in Ireland, visit:

http://www.theredcard.ie/news/2006/03/spotlight-on-nation-polish-in-ireland.html

Americans talk about their jobs

This week I would like to introduce you to an amazingly brave soul namely Janice Lejeune who despite being deaf-blind works as a merchandise handler.

Her life story reads something like this:

For many years she was a housewife and mother. One day she divorced and because of both acute loneliness and financial difficulties, she went through a training programme for disabled people. Finally, after some time searching for a job, she got hired as a merchandise handler.

Reading what she says you can sense that not only does she adore the buzz of working, but she also is tenacious to carry out any arduous task she might receive.

Another crucial aspect of her job is the working climate as all her colleagues are very caring without being overprotective which makes her feel over the moon almost every day on her job.

The only thing that is a crying shame for her is the fact that although she could no more stop working than a fish could stop swimming, she is only a part-time employee. Nevertheless, she is very proud of everything she has achieved so far as apart from working she is also studying for her General Education Development Degree.

While reading her life story, I had to fight back tears so touched was I by everything this woman was talking about. I must admit that I find it extraordinary that a woman with such a ghastly illness has the stamina to push boundaries and make her dreams come true. Such stories are the ones that restore my belief that only the sky is the limit for anyone who is conscientious enough.

Sources:

http://www.careerbuilder.com/JobSeeker/Jobs/JobDetails.aspx?job_did=J8C5RG63WKZQ10499T2&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=2ed2941042cc47249a671961a51f388b-232337471-JF-5

the description of the duties of a merchandise handler

driving over lemons

Finally I've managed to get my hands on the book "Driving over lemons" by the one-time drummer of Genesis Chris Stewart.

Before immersing myself in the book, I went to check what my trusted friends, reviewers at amazon.com, said the advantages and drawbacks of this book were.

Once on the site, I immediately noticed that the positive reviews outnumber the negative ones. Many readers hold the account of Stewart's life at the El Valero farm in Las Alpujarras, south of Granda, to be entertaining and an eye-opener. What's more, the characters are thought to be credible and the book an easy yet pleasurable read.

On the flip side, the minority of readers think that the book is too detached and at times even mind-numbing and that Stewart didn't dedicate enough pages of the book to the colourful portrays of the locals.

Despite the negative reviews, I hold that this book bodes well and the only thing that is left for me to do now is to start reading and commenting on it.

speaking

Another Thursday. Another stint at Prince Charles pub. Our topic of conversation this time was tattoos.

If I cast my mind back a few years, I would remember how my fellow grammar school friends got tattoos surreptitiously done on all just imaginable parts of their body. Unlike them, I didn't get one as the mere thought of the needle used in such a procedure made me feel frozen with fear.

Nevertheless, back then I committed myself that one day I would find out more about tattoos and this day has finally come.

GENERAL INFORMATION ON TATTOOS

A tattoo is a mark made by inserting pigment into the skin as a way of body modification. The word derives reportedly from the Samoan or Tahitian word tatau which means to mark or strike twice.

Tattoos have been around since time immemorial as they go hand in hand with different cultures where they symbolise ranks, rites of passage etc. Nowadays they are seen as expressions of a person's character. Some tattoos are a form of cosmetics called permanent makeup which is used to intensify a person's eyebrows, eyes etc. by using natural colours.

The procedure of getting a tattoo revolves around an electric tattoo machine which inserts ink into your skin via a group of needles.

Although many people get tattooed or even heavily tattooed following the maxime no risk, no fun, I still look at tattooing with a cautious eye because of the health risks attached which can range from the less harmful infections and allergic reactions to diseases like tetanus or hepatitis due to being tattooed with unsterilized equipment.

Despite the fact that most people wear their tattoos forever, some repent their decision very soon and usually try to turn back time via laser removal. Alas, every laser removal is a complex, painful and costly procedure and no removal can prevent permanent scarring.

Taking all the above mentioned into consideration, before you get a tattoo, weigh all the pros and cons carefully, so that you don't end up with a hole in your pocket and a salutary lesson learnt.

Sources:

http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/skin_stuff/safe_tattooing.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tattoo

p.s. While talking about something else, someone told me the English equivalent of "Versuchskaninchen" namely guinea pig.