SIMULATIONS ARE DANGEROUS

This Wednesday I was watching a football match on TV where Las Palmas and Almeria were fighting for ascent the league and play in the top league.

The match was in a very interesting moment when two players crash their heads trying to hit the ball. One of them was on the floor but the refry didn’t see that and his teammates continued attacking trying to score a goal and win the match. When they finished the attack, the refry saw that and he stopped the match. The player who was on the floor was unaware and the ambulance had to take the player to the hospital.

These images shocked me because it could be worse in another situation and the match didn’t stop until the attack finished. I’m sure that nobody hit the ball outside the field and the refry didn’t stop the match because in most of cases the players are well and only are trying to lose some minutes.

So in my opinion, football players and football federations have to do a reflection about these situations because in this case didn’t happen anything but in another case we will probably have to lament worse news.

In this video you can see in 4:25 minute the incident.

HOME

Home is a very interesting and special documentary that tells the creation of our planet and humanity, the actual situation of our world and, finally, the problems of the climate change that we are already living and the ones that we will live in a short period of time if we don’t change our way of act.

I have already given my opinion of the climate change and of the humanity conscience of this. So I’m only going to talk about my opinion of the film/documentary. 

In one hand I have to confess that in some moments of the film I felt bored (maybe because we are in our last week and the hours when we have seen Home weren’t the best ones to enjoy). It was probably too long and too repetitive.

But in the other hand, it is a very good documentary that impacts you and show very impressive images of beautiful places that a lot of people don’t know of their existence.

In conclusion, Home is a good way to conscience people of our planet problems and it does it in an impressing way. But it could be better if it was shorter.

PLAYSTATION 4 CONSOLE PRICED CHEAPER THAN XBOX ONE

Sony has presented their new console PlayStation 4. It is set to sell the PlayStation 4 for a cheaper price than Microsoft's rival Xbox One. While Xbox One price is of 499€ here, PlayStation 4 will cost a hundred Euros less, 399€.

 

I have to say that I am not a fan of video consoles and this type of games but I like this news because, lately, video games and video consoles were every day more and more expensive, when you were a little child practically everyone could buy a PlayStation but in the last years you had to pay big sums of money.

This news means that console companies know the actual situation of the world and they want to change the trendy of increase prices. That doesn’t mean that everyone will buy a PlayStation but it means that more people will be able to do it or that people will do a less important sacrifice. 

WE HAVE ALMOST LEARNT TO RESPECT THE WORLD, ARE YOU AGREE?

Every day we hear about the consequences of the climate change. In my opinion the current society knows that we have to respect the world and they, at practical situations, respect it, more or less but, at least, they are aware of this problem. The worst is that people who pollute the Earth the most, factories and big companies, only want to be richer and richer every day and don’t mind about the planet and next generations. There is only one way to change that, in my view.

First of all, ordinary people like you and me have to be conscient of whose fault it is and support factories that respect the planet.

Secondly, these factories that are polluting every day are going to have to change their policy or will ruin the company.

Finally, if we respect the world and big companies respect it too, the situation of our planet will be better and we will stop the climate change.

In conclusion, we know how to change the future but I’m afraid these things won’t happen and climate change will happen.

FINAL POST

First of all I want to say that it is very difficult to know if I have had an improvement in English because it is a large and difficult process but I think so, that I have learnt new words and to speak and write more fluently.

When I can show my level better in my blog is when I do a “yoursay” of an interesting topic for me. I don’t think which activity is the most useful because all are very important but the ones which we learn less is when we have to put a text that is corrected in class in the blog because we only copy what we have already written. For next year, I would like to do more songs because it’s a funny activity but I think that it is very useful because you learn new words and expressions in English.

I have to say, like I said the second term, that blog is a nice activity and is very useful for the improvement of our English.

GAP YEAR

There are a lot of interesting places for visit and for spend a gap year but if I had to choose a place to go in a gap year I think I would choose go to do voluntary work in an African country.

I would choose this because this is one of the things I want to do in my life. I want to do it because, in my opinion, you can learn a lot of important things in life, for example: learn to value all we have when you see that some people are happy without anything, learn to work hard for get what you need, learn to respect other cultures and other ways to live, and a lot of other things…

I don’t know if I will do it but I would like to do it after the university because I don’t want to lose my study routine.

PODCAST

Vocaroo Voice Message

Jamie: Tania's girlfriend but unfaithful (Jaume)

Tania: Jamie's girlfriend (Roger)

Polly: Jamie's "lover" (David)

Dad: Jamie's father (Eloi)

Text in the book

…

Tania: What the fuck is going on here?

Jamie: It’s not what it looks! Relax!

Polly: emm… Can you show me the homework, please, Jamie? That’s why I’m here. (excuse)

Tania: Are you kidding me? I know what’s going on!!

Dad: What’s up?? Shit, I’m trying to sleep!

Tania: What’s up!!?? Your son is an asshole, and this is his fucking bitch.

Jamie: Sorry dad, now we will leave and…

Tania: Shut up! You will get out with your fucking bitch; I don’t want to see you again.

Polly: The only whore here is you, motherfucker, you only wants Jamie’s money.  Don’t you?

Jamie: Is that true?  I’m freaking out.

Tania: I AM!

Dad: You have woken me up and now we are arguing in my house. Get out of my house, right now! 

Tania: Shut up! It’s not your argument; I’m sorry but the truth is that your son is a fucking liar!

Dad: Is not my argument but is my house. Go out bitch and shut up!!

Polly: Okay sorry. Tania stop. We can argue out.

Jamie: Yeah! Babies go out!

Polly and Tania: Fuck you! Bye!

(Polly and Tania leave the house together and Jamie remain there alone)

SELF EVALUATION

http://prezi.com/2-uyoxuyrdis/untitled-prezi/?kw=view-2-uyoxuyrdis&rc=ref-41114649

We choose this topic because is an important issue but not only now, it always has been a very big problem for our society and we think that when racism finishes humanity will have done a very important step.

We are sorry. There are two videos because James’es phone memory was completed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ij4Z_oIZRZ0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WOKlo1TfEQ

Eloi Güell: Racism, a big social issue  (with Roger)

Presentation (10%)

Do you use any resources? Are the resources relevant and attractive and focused on the topic? Do they support your presentation? Is the timing 5-7 minutes?

Yes we used Prezi as the main resource. Apart from that we placed a lot of happenings in a world map to help our presentation and to show that racism is everywhere in the world. About the timing, the presentation took about 15 minutes but we were two doing the presentation.

10

Body language and eye contact (10%)

Are you looking at your audience most of the time? Are you reading occasionally from your notes? Are you doing any gestures / movement to hold the attention of the audience?

I think that this was the worst part of my presentation because it’s difficult to look at the audience, and sometimes I used to watch the presentation, but not we had not any note in the prezi so it wasn't because I don't know my part.

7

Structure (10%)

Do you organize your ideas in order of importance? Do you use discourse markers to make your ideas more clear?

Yes, we done an index and we have put the ideas in order, and we use some discourse markers.

10

Content (30%)

Do you introduce interesting, NEW information to your audience? Is your information detailed and clear? Do you give / show examples? Is your information copied from a source or is it original? Did you look up information/facts/ideas in the Internet/books…?

I think we have done it an interesting presentation with new information for all the audience because we explain a lot about a sport that people didn't know nothing. We have gave it some examples of each definition, and we have placed a lot of happenings in a world map to help our presentation. 

28

Language (20%)

Is your grammar correct, complex? Is your vocabulary rich and varied? Do you use sentence linkers? Do you use pause fillers?

I think that I used a correct grammar, with a lot of topic-related vocabulary. About the linkers and the pause fillers I think I have used a few.

18

Pronunciation and intonation (10%)

Do you know how to pronounce all your words? Did you check the pronunciation with a dictionary, a classmate or the teacher? Do you change your tone of voice or use a monotone tone all the time? Did you speed in a fluid continuum or with breaks and interruptions?

I knew how to pronounce the words because I had searched on the google translator and in howjsay. I did it with some breaks to read or pronounce difficult words but in general I think I done it quite fluid. Apart from that I made some pronunciation mistakes like "society" but because I didn't searched previously because I thought I know how to pronounce this word. 

7

Self-evaluation (10%)

8

Final Mark: (100%)

86%

POSTALS

“Postals” is the name of the last CD of “Els Catarres”. They are known for their song “Jenifer” that they did one or two years ago.

They have recently done a new disc which is fantastic for me and the eleven songs that there are in the disc are very good even though the only song that appears on the radio is “Vull estar amb tu”.

I love this disc because it change my mood and transmit me a lot of happiness; it also has beautiful lyrics that you can’t find in a typical English commercial song.

Music groups like “Catarres”, “Txarango”, “Manel” or “Els amics de les arts” are a demonstration of the good moment that is nowadays Catalan music. I am not saying that Catalan music is the best or is better than other types of music, I am only saying that sometimes good things are so close that you don’t realize of them. 

I let hear one of the new songs of "els Catarres".

SUMMER 2013

I still don’t know if I will get a job for this summer, there are no jobs because of the crisis. However, I am sure that I will work, without earn money, but I will work a lot.

First of all, I have to do my research project; I would like to finish the project during the summer and during the first term I would like only to tweak the project. Because, when we start 2^nd of Batxillerat, I want to concentrate in the subjects of 2^nd.

Secondly, I would like to get my First Certificate on September so I will have to practice during the summer and I will have to go to English classes.

Thirdly, I want to recover completely and get fit for next football season. I always have been a person that get tired quickly and I want to change that because I would like to play all the matches.

Finally, if I can, I will get a job and depending on this I will do all the things or I will have to let something for next summer.

THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME

I had hear about this book before read it and when my teacher showed it to me I didn’t doubt and I took it. I know it was an interesting book and I liked it since the first day I started to read.

It is not a book with a fantastic plot or a surprising ending; the best of the book is the way that is written. For people like me, people that like to think with logically, it is an excellent book because we realize the quantity of silly things that we do without logic. For example, when Christopher says that it is silly to go to work happy or sad depending on if it is a sunny day or a rainy day even thought you work in an office and the weather doesn’t effect to you. So I like the way to think of the main character, also because he doesn’t know how to lie and he acts in a very simple way, maybe too simple for the current people.

The worst of the book was that I expected a special ending but the truth is that the end is as simple as the way to think of the main character. All in all I have to say that I enjoyed a lot with this book and I recommend it to everybody except these people that hates mathematics an logics.

HAVE MECHANICAL CLOCKS TIME PASSED?

Watches, like televisions, mobile phones and other electronic apparatus, are evolving too. Now, a part of say what time is it, they also can have an MP3 incorporated or a personal locator beacon.

Technology is evolving very fast; when you start to know how to use a system in an electronic apparatus, you realize that this system has been left behind and you aren’t already trendy.

Last example of this is mobile phones; you can buy the best mobile phone one day and a week later appears a better phone, and a year later your phone is an antiquity. These fantastic smart phones have produced that you, with your phone, don’t need a watch or a MP3 player. But now, watch brands want to recover of this crisis and have modernized watches.

I don’t know if this type of clock will be sold but in my opinion is quite fashion and very modern. I like it.

See the new.

WINNERS OF OUR LEAGUE

In two months, if all is right, I will be playing football again, after a long time ago. This year I haven’t played but I have to say that I have enjoyed a lot with my team, C.F.Esplais.

We have won the league and next season we will play in a superior category. It’s true that this league that we have won is the worst one but always is difficult to win a championship and are wrong these people who say that win this league is very easy because there were also other teams with good players.

The truth is that I am so happy with this because it means that next year we won’t play at the same league and sincerely I didn’t want to play in this league because there is not as competitive as the one where we will play next season.

I only expect to be able to play football soon to give the best of me and help my team to save the category next season.

FINAL EXAMS

In a few days I start my period of final exams, we have 8 exams in 6 days of classes. It is a big responsibility for us because we still can pass or fail the most of the subjects depending on the last exam so I want to be sure that I will get good marks and I want to make sure too that I won’t fail any subjects. It’s for this reason that this weekend and next week I will try to isolate me and study and work a lot of hours. 

It is maybe the worst week of the year but I don’t think that will be very difficult to get good marks if I am focused in studying during these days.

The subjects that will make me practice more will be maths and physics because now we are doing difficult topics. The subjects that will make me study more will be philosophy and biology because there are a lot of things to study. But the subject that worries me most is chemistry because I never know what can appear in the exam and it’s quite difficult, moreover I have a 5 from the first exam of the term and I have to make sure that I will get a good mark for pass the subject.

It’s a challenge for me and the rest of the class but I’m sure we will do it well. 

CRISIS EVERYWHERE BUT MILLIONS IN SPORT

I want to spend a post doing a reflection about how people spend their money, specifically in sport.

 All of us have heard that every thirty seconds a person dies of hungry and things like that so the question is: How is possible that sports handle so much money as they do?

The answer is easier than it seems. This occurs because the powerful people, people who have millions of Euros, are extravagant, unconscious and quite stupid.

First of all, they are unconscious because they don’t see the situation of our world and the responsibility that they have when they are so powerful. The second characteristic of them is that they have always had so much money that they are familiar in spending money in silly things, so they are capricious. Both things make that the possibility of delete the hungry in the whole world is not possible, only because these people want to buy a team and buy and sell players like if they were playing to “Monopoly”. 

These two things that I have said in the last paragraph become the third one a reality, this powerful people are simply stupid people.

Neymar's Barcelona move costs Brazilian football its biggest star

“Last Saturday became official that Neymar, the actual Brazilian and Santos star, will play with FCBarcelona the next seasons. The sum of money that Barça has paid is over 50 million Euros.”

Without talking about the sum of money, which is a topic that I will talk about in my next post, this are great news for me and for the most of Barça fans.

This year all of us have seen that Barça has too much Messi reliance and, when Messi is not on the field, Barça does not know how to do its attacks. In this aspect, we are sure that Neymar will give to Barça some alternatives that we expect that will help the team when Messi won’t be there or will complement Messi’s quality in attack.

There is a lot of confidence on Neymar and he is very famous so a lot of people expect that he will be one of the best players in the world in a few years. This is dangerous because nobody knows how will he adapt to European football and to Barça, he is young and he has a big responsibility that he wouldn’t have to has.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22679134

THE ANIMAL IN ME

These strong shouldered quadrupeds are closely related to horse personalities. But since zebras have evolved in the competitive environment of the African plains, they've developed a tougher exterior and more aggressive demeanor than their cousins. 

Those that come into contact with the zebra find it to be a powerfully loyal and intelligent friend. Its black and white nature shuns the gray zones of compromise and its decided idealism is incapable of accepting defeat in an argument. Zebras find it difficult to be punctual when it comes to meeting commitments that have little value to them, and close examination of this trait reveals the subtle arrogance that pervades the zebra's personality. 

While its behavior might be construed as selfish, the zebra is generally appalled to discover that others have perceived it to be egotistical. Zebras always expect to be given the benefit of the doubt and are perpetually on the offensive when it comes to setting the record straight with regard to their motives. 

Wild and untamable, zebras have quite an aggressive streak and their enormous self-confidence gives them an unusually swaggering gait. Quick to anger, a zebra's temper often gets the better of it and they are considered so volatile that even lion personalities will think twice before accosting them. However, they rarely initiate these confrontations and are peaceable and self-contained if left alone. Zebras have a tendency to view the world in black and white and have a strong sense of right and wrong. Unlike their horse cousins, they are unwilling to be saddled with the burdens of others and insist that everyone carry his or her own weight. 

Once the zebra's mind is made up, it is difficult to shift its position, which explains its reputation for stubbornness. This reputation is somewhat unfounded however, since the zebra's opinions are only formed after deliberate and logical consideration. This analytical thinking primes them for careers in science, engineering, accounting and football refereeing.

Zebras' strong sense of justice makes them ideal for careers in the legal system, including police work or law, while their ability to endure a long race might bring them success in politics. Their love for things tangible makes it unlikely that they'll excel in the arts, and a distaste for physical labor makes zebras largely unsuitable for blue-collar jobs. 

The animal in me is zebra; I have to confess that, when I have finished the test, I have changed the animal three times because the other animals were the opposite of me. So, in my opinion, this test is not very good at guess people’s personality. 

I agree with the text when it says that I am a loyal and intelligent friend and a very competive person but I don't agree with it when it says that I have an aggressive mood.

I don’t believe in this tests and this one has showed me that I am right when I think this is silly. 

GIRL KILLED BY PACK OF DOGS

A fourteen years old girl, called Jade Anderson, was killed by a pack of four very dangerous dogs in a house near Wigan. The girl was taking a meat cake for the dogs because the proprietary was on holidays, but one of the dogs became nervous and attacked the girl. She tried to defend herself but the other three dogs helped the other dog attacking her. The police found her unconscious and they couldn’t save her.

This is, of course, a tragedy, and now everybody is looking for a guilty. A lot of people think that it’s a law fault because it is not banned to have a danger dog or some danger dogs, but I think it isn’t a fault of the law because in the most cases, the dog’s race doesn’t mean anything if the owners have educated correctly the dog. In my opinion it’s a general problem of the society that find interesting and exciting to have a dog of a dangerous race but the most of the people don’t matter about its education. We need to be more conscious about the responsibility that implies to have these animals if we want to delete these tragedies.   

MY SECOND TERM

This second term, in general, has been positive for me compared with the first term. My first term wasn’t bad because I passed all the subjects and I only got one 5 and two 6; but I don’t know yet what degree I want to study and for this reason I want to get a good mark at the end of Batxiller because you never know if you will need a tenth more to be able to do the degree that you want where you want.

This term I have reached getting my objective of improve physics, chemistry and mathematics. So my marks have been all 7 or more. It’s true that I have got worse marks in Catalan, CMC and PE; however, I’m happy with my performance because I’ve improved the most difficult subjects and the general mark.

My objective for the next term is very optimistic and difficult but I know I can do it. It consists, first of all, in improve language’s marks because the third term is very important in this subjects; they are cumulative. And finally, I want the sevens become eights, it will be very satisfying to have all my marks over the 7. I’m realistic and I won’t cry if I won’t  achieve all my objectives but I want to get them and I will fight for them.

CLASSMATE

Vocaroo Voice Message

He lives in Castelló d’Empúries, not far from my place. We are friends since we were five years old. Sadly, since three or four years ago, we can’t meet often because he’s always doing his hobby. He’s a big friend, however he’s really shy and he never tells his private life.

If you look at him, the fact thing you will see is that he’s fairly tall, he’s probably 1’90m tall. I can’t tell if he is handsome or not because I don’t know. He has got brown hair and he has got brown eyes.

He’s always wearing expensive brands in his clothes but, in my opinion, he’s not particularly worried about his image.

His personality is quite special. He’s very shy and insecure, he hates speaking in public. He’s not one of these people who want to impose his opinion, he is quite open-minded. You can tell him whatever and he doesn’t say anything to anyone, but he will never tell you anything about him, he is extremely reserved.

In conclusion, he is shy, generous and particularly good friend, but it’s really difficult to know about his private life.