FIXED - An intriguing story set in a hospital

While browsing Vimeo website the other day, I came across a very intriguing story about a patient who goes to the hospital and undergoes a lot of exams in order to find a cure to his aching leg. I believe you will all enjoy it!


"Fixed" is a short animation film by the young director Jeffrey Thompson. 

"Fixed" 2010 from Jeffrey Thompson on Vimeo.

What do you think of the doctors' solution to this patient's problem?

You can find more interesting videos and music videos at Vimeo website.

"Sometimes The Stars" by The Audreys, an Aussie band

"Sometimes the Stars" is a beautiful song from the Australian band The Audreys, taken from their 2010 album of the same name. 
The accompanying short animated film, produced by Luke Jurevicius and directed by Ari Gibson & Jason Pamment, is about a lost girl's journey through a surreal landscape, and her yearning to make a connection in this distant yet strangely familiar world. 

Sometimes the Stars from The Audreys on Vimeo.

SOMETIMES THE STARS by THE AUDREYS

Here I am confessing, you're lost to me now
I'm on a train telling strangers, about you
How you're still looking fine
How you ease my lonely mind
Flong, summers and wine
Yeah, you saved me

But sometimes the stars seem closer than they should
Like the more I knew, the less I understood
And the further that you got from me, the more I felt like I could see
The more I wondered if I should trust the stars
'Cus sometimes the stars..

Here I am obsessing, that I lost you somehow
On a train full of strangers, and you
Every star look the same
All of those faces without names
They all drifted away
Is that when you left me?

'Cus sometimes the stars seem closer than they should
Like the more I knew, the less I understood
And the further that you got from me, the more I felt like I could see
The more I wondered if I should trust the stars
'Cus sometimes the stars

'Cus sometimes the stars
'Cus sometimes the stars
'Cus sometimes the stars
'Cus sometimes the stars...

You can find more interesting videos and music videos at Vimeo website.

St. Patrick's Day: May the luck of the Irish be yours today!

  Happy Saint Patrick's Day!  
Saint Patrick's Day is the feast day of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland and a day of celebration for Irish people and all things that are Irish. 
It is celebrated on March 17 all over Ireland and everywhere in the world where Irish people or their descendants live. 
New York City has one of the biggest parades. It is a very Irish festival and it involves a lot of feasting and celebrations, which includes traditional Irish music, drinking Guinness and eating bacon and cabbage. Another tradition is one has to wear green clothing or they will be pinched. 
Green is the color for Saint Patrick's day as it is the national color of Ireland and people will wear green on that day or have some type of shamrock on their clothing.
Find out more about Saint Patrick's Day by watching the video below:

Would you like to celebrate St. Patrick's Day like a true Irishman? 

Then watch the following video and test your knowledge by answering the quiz.

What do you really know about Ireland? From Ireland's national symbol to its average beer consumption, get the facts on the Emerald Isle.

Try this fantastic online quiz about Saint Patrick's Day:

St Patrick´s Day, by frenchfrog
Find this and other holidays exercises in English Exercises .org

7 Billion: Are You Typical?

Do you remember our post about the fact that the worldwide population is expected to exceed seven billion in 2011? If you haven't read about it yet, check it here: 7billion.


National Geographic Magazine is continuing a yearlong series examining the specific challenges and solutions we face as the worldwide population reaches 7 billion people in 2011. In the March issue, the magazine published a report on humans' massive impact on the planet. The report "Enter the Anthropocene - Age of Man" can be read here and you can check out the photo gallery here. 

National Geographic photo

Oil transformed Dubai in the 1970s. The city now boasts the world's tallest building, giant malls, and some two million residents, who depend on desalinated seawater and air-conditioning—and thus on cheap energy—to live in the Arabian desert.

Also in the March issue is "The Surprising Face of Seven Billion," a poster showing a composite face of the world's most typical person. Other stories will follow throughout 2011.

Are you typical? What do you think of this?

Today is the 100th International Women's Day!

Today the world celebrates the International Women's Day. Did you know that March is Women's History Month? 

Each year around the world, International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8. Hundreds of events occur not just on this day but throughout March to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women.

Organisations, governments and women's groups around the world choose different themes each year that reflect global and local gender issues. In 2011, the theme is "Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women".

In 2011 we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of IWD. The day was commemorated for the first time on 19 March 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland. More than one million women and men attended rallies on that first commemoration.

In 1975, during International Women's Year, the United Nations began celebrating 8 March as International Women's Day. Two years later, in December 1977, the General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming a United Nations Day for Women's Rights and International Peace to be observed on any day of the year by Member States, in accordance with their historical and national traditions. 

Here's a special playlist to pay tribute to all women around the world!


Create a playlist at MixPod.com

Oscars According to Kids

Parodies of five of the Best Picture nominations, acted out by children, have gone viral in the final countdown to the Academy Awards. Watch the news spot below!

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

You're watching multisource entertainment video news analysis from Newsy.

For all you movie buffs out there -- what is the only thing better than watching the Oscars? How about watching adorable kids re-enact the nominees?

THE KING'S SPEECH: (AOL)

“Repeat after me. She sells...”

“Shshshshshe sells”

“She sells”

“Shhhhshhhsh”

“You’ll never be a good king in time for World War II!”

AOL's series “The Kids Act Out” created a parody for five of the Best Picture nominations. These pint-sized actors playing out Oscar roles have gone viral.

BLACK SWAN: (AOL)

“I think I’m going crazy!”

A writer for TIME really liked the Social Network parody,  saying these characters best fit their role:

“Unlike the original movie, where adults act like children, AOL's version... features children acting like adults acting like children... This video is serious proof that kids just make everything better.”

SOCIAL NETWORK: (AOL)

“Mark, we were best friends!”

“Were!”

“Admit it!”

“You stole it!"

“I disagree!”

“Pay us!”

“Facebook changed the world!”

“We were best friends!”

“Great snappy dialogue.”

The best part of that video? Mashable says its all in the delivery:

“...[Social Network’s] Aaron Sorkin’s dialogue is given a whole new dimension when uttered by a cast of folks who haven’t quite nailed the intricacies of enunciation yet.”

And about that enunciation -- see how well the Fighter kids nail the Boston accent:

THE FIGHTER (AOL)

“One day you will be like your big brother.”

“Dickey, get away from him!"

“Stay outta this Charlene!”

“You-ah noo-aat family!”

[Unintelligible Boston Accents]

“Stop, I just want to fight!”

The Washington Post reaches out to the Academy -- urging it to consider the clips before making the big decision:

“Academy voters: Do not -- I repeat, do not -- decide which film deserves the Oscar for Best Picture until you watch the videos... Because you haven't fully processed the meaning behind the nominated films until you've seen them summarized in clips... that star little kids.”

… Like in this parody of 127 hours, where a mini James Franco sums up the whole movie in just one line:

127 HOURS: (AOL)

"This is gonna be gross.”

Creative Loafing said:

“Smilestimes for at least a week.”

And MovieFone is just happy to have a viral video that doesn’t drive us all crazy.

“This adorable Internet trend is one we hope never fades out.... If you ask us, these super-cute little ones give tremendous, maybe even Oscar-worthy, performances.”

Finally, the Weekend Today hosts just couldn’t get enough of the cuties:

MELISSA FRANCIS: "I can’t wait to see those two do the Black Swan, right? Jenna, I like that move, right?”

JENNA WOLF: “‘Oh no!’ -- That was great acting, right? Not overacting at all! That is so cute, sooo cute. ‘You are my best friend.' So adorable!”

We want to hear your Oscar predictions -- kiddie version or real -- weigh in, in the comments section.

Transcript by Newsy.

http://www.newsy.com/videos/best-picture-oscars-according-to-kids/

INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY - It's Today!

Did you know that today is the International Mother Language Day?
Every 21st February the mother tongues of our world have been celebrated by United Nations member states since 2000.
International Mother Language Day provides an occasion to recognize the vital importance of languages in education and to mobilize efforts in favour of multilingualism and linguistic diversity.

"If languages do not exist, the cultures will disappear."

"Part of our identity is the language that we speak."

Do you agree with these statements? Share your thoughts with us!

Remember, Languages Matter!

Globish: The New Way to Communicate in English?

English or Globish? What is the difference?
Have you ever heard of Globish? Globish is short for Global English. It is the simplified form of English codified by a retired IBM vice-president from France. Globish began in 2004 as various written works were published on the topic. At that time, English teachers laughed at the 1500-word dialect and they believed that the speakers of Globish were destroying the beautiful English language. Years later, however, the tone of the conversation has shifted. More and more businessmen are reported to be learning Globish to expand their businesses worldwide.

Globish allows you to:

• Communicate in English, using only 1500 words.
• Employ simple, but standard grammatical structure.
• Learn enough pronunciation and spelling for 1500 words only.
• Provide a tool for leading a conversation in business or as a tourist, anywhere in the world.                                                                                                   (in Globish.com)

MY FAVOURITE THINGS

Stories can be told without any words. Follow the children in this short film and find out what "My Favourite Things" is all about.
Created in 2009 and directed by Edward Styles, this film is a sweet colourful journey.

My Favourite Things from kidswithcrayons on Vimeo.

What are you favourite things? Share them with us!

LOVE IS ‘ON’ THE AIR! The TOP Love Songs

On VALENTINE'S DAY many radio stations play to romantic songs of the present and past.
Have you got a favourite love song? Which is your favourite love song(s)? Share your list with us!
Listen to the selections below!


Remember any love songs of the 90s?




What about the 60s?



So, what are your favourite love songs?

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

You are certainly familiar with many famous romantic couples from literature and cinema too. However, no one can beat Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet!

If you haven't read the play or watched it yet - a serious crime, in my humble opinion! ;-) - you can watch the video below and you'll get the main plot of the most tragic love story of all! 

Well, this version has a totally different ending... but you'll still get the gist of it! Enjoy!

Curious about Romeo and Juliet? Check out these links:

• Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare - the text
• Romeo and Juliet - Wikipedia information on the play
• Romeo + Juliet, film directed by Baz Luhrmann - movie trailer
• Romeo + Juliet, film directed by Baz Luhrmann - movie information 1 information 2

VALENTINE'S DAY: Spending Money on Your Honey

How much money do people spend on Valentine's Day?
Take a look at this great infographic from Savings.com.
What about you? Will you be spending any money on your loved one? :-)

Presented by Savings.com Blog & Save