Happy Groundhog Day!

Do you know what day is today? It's Groundhog Day!

Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated on February 2nd. It is usually celebrated in North America.It began in the year 1886. This holiday celebrates "Punxsutawney Phil", a groundhog that could supposedly predict the weather.

According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow (toca - Port.) on this day, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter will soon end. If it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly see its shadow and retreat back into its burrow, and winter will continue for six more weeks.

A Look Back on How 2010 Changed Our Lives...

January 2011 is quickly coming to an end. But it is never too late to look back at 2010. 
How did 2010 change our lives? Check this infograph that sums up some of the events that marked year 2010. 
Thank you Ellie Koning, from rainy Seattle, for sharing this link with us!

Via: OnlineSchools.org 

IT'S NOW OFFICIAL! ES/3 BARCELINHOS WILL BE RECONSTRUCTED!

Our  school

Today, the Portuguese Prime Minister and the Minister of Education have announced that our school - Escola Secundária/3 de Barcelinhos - will be one of the 90 schools to be rebuilt and modernized in the near future. 
Our school is now officially part of phase 4 (check this link!) of the requalification programme of the Portuguese schools (Programa de Modernização do Parque Escolar Destinado ao Ensino Secundário).
Let us hope that we won't have to wait too long for it! Our school really needs to have work done on the buildings and facilities!


What do you think of this? 

IF A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS, THEN ...

... A CARTOON IS WORTH A THOUSAND AND ONE!

What messages do these cartoons transmit? Tell us what you think!

Cartoon 1 - Title: AUSTRALIA TODAY Artist: Martin Sutovec  

CAGLE CARTOONS

Cartoon 2 - Title: ZODIAC CHANGES Artist: Cam Cardow  

CAGLE CARTOONS

Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

On the third Monday of January each year, that means today, January 17, the Americans celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. It is a United States federal holiday marking the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who was born on January 15 1929.

Who was Martin Luther King Jr.? 


He was a civil rights activist who worked hard to make people understand that black people should always be treated equally to white people. He gave speeches and led rallies to encourage African Americans to protest without the need for violence. One peaceful strategy was for African Americans to have sit-ins. This is where they would sit in a restaurant seat that was supposed to be only for white people. They would politely ask for some food and refuse to leave until someone gave them food. Another strategy that King used was leading boycotts. This is where people would refuse to buy goods or services from people who did not treat white people and black people the same.
Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on the evening of April 4, 1968.

Source: simple.wikipedia.org (slightly adapted)

The following video shows an excerpt of one of King's most famous speeches - I have a dream!

Have you ever watched the film Freedom Writers? 

I you have, you might recognise this song from the film's soundtrack:

Check the lyrics here: Dream by Common Feat. Will.I.Am

What's your sign? Are you sure?

What is your sign? Are you an Aries or a Pisces? Or should I say "Were you an Aries or a Pisces?".
Check the astrological calendar and find out if the fact that the Earth has shifted on its axis hasn't changed your future...

Multisource political news, world news, and entertainment news analysis by Newsy.com

Check the transcript here: http://www.newsy.com/videos/zodiac-sign-change-causes-a-stir

In 2011 we will be more than 7 Billion!

Did you know that the worldwide population is expected to exceed seven billion in 2011?


7,000,000,000! That is an amazing number of people living on our planet!

India's crowded streets (Source: National Geographic)

National Geographic magazine has started this month a 7-part series examining specific challenges and solutions to the issues we face. 
The magazine introduces the series with its January cover story "7 Billion," offering a broad overview of demographic trends that got us to today and will impact us all tomorrow.
The next story will appear in the March issue, focusing on humans' impact on the planet's geology. 
Other stories will follow throughout 2011. Be sure to pay attention to the next postings on this topic!


So, there will soon be seven billion people on the planet. Watch the video below in order to find out why you shouldn’t panic—at least, not yet.

Are you interested in the topic?
Then visit the National Geographic Photo Gallery. Here is the link for you: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/01/seven-billion/olson-photography

The English-Speaking World: Irish Travellers

What do you know about the peoples from the English-Speaking world? 


Have you ever heard of the Irish travellers? 


Read the following description from Wikipedia:

Irish Travellers  are traditionally nomadic people of Irish origin with their own language and traditions, living predominantly in Ireland but also in Great Britain and the United States of America. Travellers refer to themselves as Minceir or Pavees in their own language or in Irish as an Lucht Siúil, meaning literally "the walking people". The European Parliament Committee of Enquiry on Racism and Xenophobia found them to be amongst the most discriminated-against ethnic groups in Ireland.

Channel 4 television broadcast a  documentary about Traveller weddings — My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding. 


In this documentary, you are able to learn a lot about Travellers' lives, especially about teenagers and how they view relationships and marriage.


Watch an extract of this documentary. You can find the rest of the documentary on YouTube!

For these girls, typically only 16 years old, the most important aspect of their carefully planned big day is wearing  the biggest, brashest, most over-the top dress they can dream up. The eye-catching phenomenon was explored in Channel 4’s documentary My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding in February 2010, which drew an audience of 6.4 million. (Express.co.uk)

What do you think? Share with us your opinion!

WHAT ARE YOUR RESOLUTIONS FOR 2011?

HAPPY 2011!

A New Year has just begun. Are you ready for changes in your life?

What are you resolving to do - or not do - in 2011?

What are your New Year's Resolutions? Share them with us!
---------------------------------------------------

Rhett&Link are a North Carolina-based comedy duo consisting of life-long best friends, Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal.

Watch and listen to their NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS SONG!



Lyrics:
working out, losing weight
maybe using tanning spray
becoming more attractive in general

reading more, watching less
learning all the rules for chess
becoming somewhat smarter in general
eating fish, not fingernails
volunteer to save the whales
becoming a better guy in general
saving more, spending less
yes I will wax my chest
dating more girls in general

But not this year. No this year is different!
As different as a gazelle. Yes, a gazelle from a deer.
After all these failed resolutions.
My future is clear, the future is near!

Just forget those resolutions you
know that you are never gonna do
and adopt a more realistical view
by committing to things that come easily to you
like eat at least one value meal a week
or put the correct shoes on the correct feet
just "Raise the bar to walk effortlessly underneath!"

Just face the fact you've always thought
those resolutions don't mean squat
Settle in to a more comfortable spot
embrace all the things you know you are not.
Hit the snooze, roll over, then repeat
Make large purchases, then lose the receipts
just "Raise the bar to walk effortlessly underneath!"

Check the FLATMATES (Episode 23) about New Year's Resolutions


http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode23/index.shtml

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

WE WISH ALL OUR READERS A BRIGHT AND PROMISING 2011!

Listen to ABBA's Happy New Year!      You can find the lyrics below.

Zeitgeist 2010: Year in Review

Year 2010 is quickly reaching the end. Can you remember the top events and moments from 2010 from around the globe? 
Check out this video in order to re-live 2010 through search, images, and video while listening to OneRepublic's "Good Life".

See how the World Searched with Google's 2010 Zeitgeist: http://google.com/zeitgeist2010 

What is Zeitgeist?

Zeitgeist  is "the spirit of the times" or "the spirit of the age." Zeitgeist is the general cultural, intellectual, ethical, spiritual, and/or political climate within a nation or even specific groups, along with the general ambience, morals, sociocultural direction, and mood associated with an era.

The term zeitgeist is from German Zeit- 'time' and Geist- 'spirit' (cognate with English ghost, without being really translatable into English - this is why the German term is used).

Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeitgeist 

2010 in Photos

The Big Picture: 2010 in Photos

As the year 2010 approaches its last few days, it's time to look back on the previous 12 months. What happened during 2010? Do you remember?

The Big Picture website has published a fabulous series of 120 photos illustrating the major events that marked the year 2010. Each photo tells its own tale, weaving together into the larger story of 2010. 

So, what happened during the first months of 2010?

In the first third of 2010, millions of gallons of oil spewed into the Gulf of Mexico, several massive earthquakes wreaked havoc worldwide, Vancouver hosted a successful Winter Olympics, and so much more. Click here to look at the photos from the first third of 2010!

In this aerial photo taken in the Gulf of Mexico more than 50 miles southeast of Venice on Louisiana's tip, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig is seen burning Wednesday, April 21, 2010. Eleven men working on the platform were killed, and 17 others injured. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) Source: The Big Picture

What happened during the second third of 2010?

In the second third of 2010, a nearly unpronounceable Icelandic volcano wreaked havoc on European travel, South Africa hosted the World Cup, and while Russia endured disastrous fires, Pakistan struggled with its own terrible flooding, and so much more. Click here to look at the photos from the second third of 2010!

Prior to the 2010 World Cup, a fan waves a South African flag during a parade for Bafana Bafana, the South African national soccer team on June 9th, 2010 in Sandton, South Africa. (Clive Mason/Getty Images)                Source: The Big Picture

What happened during the last months of 2010?

In the last third of 2010, Wikileaks released hundreds of classified diplomatic cables, 33 men were rescued from a mine after being trapped for 10 weeks, protesters took to the streets all over the world, and so much more. Click here to look at the photos from the last third of 2010!

Chilean President Sebastian Pinera shows a message reading "We are fine in the refuge, the 33 of us", from the miners trapped in the San Esteban gold and copper mine on August 22, 2010. The miners were alive and contact was established with them 17 days after a structural collapse trapped them below ground. (HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP/Getty Images)                      Source: The Big Picture

What do you think? Are there any photos of 2010 that should be here?