Morning/day to everyone!
Have you heard any albums of "Cafe del Mar"?
Here is one piece from it, I believe good music and some pictures. I personally qiete like to listen to it after some busy moments...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v ...

Hi to all!
I was talking to the students today about Russia, people, language etc. In the very end of my talk I asked whether they did have any questions.
A girl asked me:" Why are Russians so TALL?"
Well, I said, perhaps they are growing tall to be closer to the Sun so to get a bit of sunshine and warmth...)) I didn't know what to say really...
and how would you answer the same question?

http://lib.ru/RAZNOE/long.txt

"a bit of sunshine and warmth...))"

Thanks ip! It's just a bit of each....)))

Once a saw a TV program about Holland. A touristic guide a kind of "around the world". The presenter particularly told about their problem with sea level, since the country is mainly below it. The fun was that he said a bit later: nevertheless nature has taken care of Dutchmen, creating them rather tall. Apparently he didn't actually mean anything offensive. But it sounded quite ambiguous...

Well, it's one of the ways you need to talk to students or tourists-to be, I mean in a kind of humorous way...otherwise they would never remember anything about...some time after...)))

unlike
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v ...

I'd get dumb as well if was asked this notorious question in that way :)

Не буду, уж простите, писать на ломаном английском, спрошу на русском:насколько точно слово "savvy" передаёт такое понятие, как "смекалка"?

HeliCap

происходит от фр.sаvoir- знать, смекать...
получается что это этакий знаток...всего и всех... ))))

2 HeliCap
Unfortunately I can't answer your question competent enough. As for me it will do. Perhaps Mila will resolve the uncertainty. But I can't imagine what for do you need such details since you aren't sure in your ability to ask a question in English. Isn't it better to begin from more basic things?

Oops, I'm little bit late. :-) Ok, here are yandex's dictionary equivalents for this Russian word: mother wit, sharpness, keenness of wit

Просто нужно было объяснить иностранцам, почему за студентом на прокатном мотороллере ехали на прицепе ещё два студента на прокатных велосипедах)))

:-D

Helicap
Jolly good and just right to the point!!!))))

2HeliCap
"Просто нужно было объяснить иностранцам"

I met in different texts an expression "the smarts" that named people such those students.
For example: "He's got plenty of smarts to mix a gasoline with urine of donkey"

here's one more " (as) smart as paint" (амер. as smart as a steel trap или as a whip) = очень ловкий, находчивый...

a smart kid ))))
SAVVY - could be:
a SAVVY traveller/magazine
political/music SAVVY
Do you SAVVY!=Do you know?
I don't have the SAVVY necessary to do the job.

Hi to all!
Is anything happening at all?

Everybody is celebrating The Day of the Interpreter! :)

Good evening!
In connection with today's "International Translation Day", I'd like to join the others to congratulate all "The post-horses of the progress..." who involved into such not easy profession. I'd like to pay your attention to old funny video about interpreters.
Please enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v ...

Hi to all!
And happy international day of interpreters, translators and all those who has to "deliver" info in another language. And it's a hard job...
klg
Many thanks for the fun!...)))))

For all fun , no worries lovers
Hakuna- matata
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v ...

"The second frustration in my learning English"
Yesterday, when I'd been attending English school already for a few month, our teacher suddenly requested us to pass the test for English prononciation. No probs. We already can well keep the ball rolling. What could be simpler than to sight-read?
He gave me a paper with the text of some poem and asked me to read it out loud. I'd started and in a few seconds I understood that I can't pronounce the most of those words. It was complete failure : (
He explained us later that this poem was a kind of linguistic "feature" to show us that we don't understand anything in "колбасных обрезках". And this poem was written by a Dutchman who was a shcool teacher in US.
So Why don't you try to read this poem out loud? I suppose you'll surprised at result.
I had found it in Wiki as poem "The Chaos" by Gerald Nolst Trenite: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/ ...
then some versions with mp3 sounds here: http://librivox.org/the-chaos- ...
P.S. Right now I'm sitting against cd-player and listening to reciters. Just like in the movie "My Fair Lady":)
"Compare alien with Italian, "
"Dandelion and battalion."
"Sally with ally, yea, ye, "
"Eye, I, ay, aye, whey, and key."
...and so on... it so very funny...to read out loud :)

klg
Your teacher is a true nut! and on the other hand English is a bloody difficult language:the more you dig into it the more you realise that this is a riddle and enigma altogether)))))

Hi to all!
I have been driving home today through heavy rain, gusty wind, no people outside but only rare bus passengers seeking for shelter and the song...
Here we go again...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v ...

This is funny
My Man, when heard the previous you tube song, said that it reminds him of that one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v ...
I must say that there is certain similairty and yet they are different..

An interesting story here:

http://www.latimesmagazine.com ...

I’ve read about this event before. Wanted to add that the USA returned recovered remains of Soviet sailors from K-129 to the Soviet Union.

Hi to all
boba it's not only intereting but horrible in the view of the events...At least the remains of the Heroes found eventually their peace in the soil of their Motherland....

Wanted to add that the USA returned recovered remains of Soviet sailors from K-129 to the Soviet Union.
========
Yes they did.
Several bodies they found had been delivered to relatives.
US NAVY did their job. They found something in equipment and so on.
But NAVY is NAVY in all the World. We have some respect for "brothership".
Bodies found - should be delivered to their mothers.

If possible of course.

2 0стровитянин
US NAVY did their job.

This is for sure, since the most probable cause of the accident was a collision with tracking US submarine... :- (

Bodies found - should be delivered to their mothers.
**********
If mothers are still alive..... (( ((

Hi to all!
Slightly different approach to safety procedures on board.
Dancing flight attendants...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v ...

Hi to all!
We were having our dinner when suddenly I saw a "flying object" through the door window; it was orange, oval shape, aprx. 1 metre in diametre, moving straight across the valley and reasonaly quick and gradually lifting up...))))
We were intrigued as our opinion differ:..
an UFO?
A Chinese lantern?
a hand glider?
Anyway it was quite amusing to watch it.....))))

since the most probable cause of the accident was a collision with tracking US submarine... :- (
=====
One of the versions. And honestly - zero.
Collisions between submarines - is not something ecsotic.
Shit happens. Especially with that trend in US NAVY with a photos and
"reasonable agression" in the files.
Actually one of the Soviet submarines touched the US NAVY Aircraft Carrier.
=))))


But... hardly it was a case. Hardly.

Still accidents just happen, whether we want it or not... Human error?

Here is another expression for your vocab.
(to be) for the birds= not interesting, stupid, not worth considering
e.g.
As far as I'm concerned, his theory is for the birds!

All the best to all!

Human error?
===
In case with ACC - definetely.
In case with the dead submarine... we will never know for sure.
But almost 99.999999999 percent - yes.
People making mistakes.
It is unavoidable. They did, they do, they will.

Since we have NAVY fans here, I'd like share some photos. I've recently been to Norfolk, Virginia.

Here's battleship Wisconsin museum:

http://www.maxho.com/index.php ...

Norfolk NAVY base, largest in the world:

http://www.maxho.com/index.php ...

boba
impressive! Thanks.
a few images to follow, not quite perhaps in the content and still it's all about boats ;-))
First three are the photos of the "The Bafleur" - sea ferry to France. One of the last her pictures....not in use anymore
the deck
http://s53.radikal.ru/i139/101 ...
She is coming
http://s001.radikal.ru/i196/10 ...
inside cabin
http://s46.radikal.ru/i114/101 ...

And this is for fun
http://s001.radikal.ru/i193/10 ...

Thanks for Norfolk.

Hi to all!
The weather seems to have gone absolutely crazy...we are having the Indian summer or perhaps it's just a present for me.)))

Dear Mila,
In soft gleaming night of stars, may all your dreams come true.
May every star of every night, bring love and joy to you.
Happy Birthday to you.
Laugh at yourself and at life. Not in the spirit of derision or whining self-pity, but as a remedy, a miracle drug, that will ease your pain, cure your depression, and help you to put in perspective that seemingly terrible defeat and worry with laughter at your predicaments, thus freeing your mind to think clearly toward the solution that is certain to come.
With friendly thoughts and best wishes
on your Birthday
and throughout the coming year,
your L.

Hi Lena!!!
Sooooooooo nice to see you here!!!!What a lovely surprise!! I am so glad to welcome you to our English Club at last!!

WOW! Mila is it really your birthday today? Than my congratulations. Many happy returns of the Day!

Lena, thank you so much for the wording... You are well right that the ability to laugh is a Skill...and sometimes when laughing at yourself you can see the other side of your personality...and this is worth the million praises of others around you especially not quite like your friends...))))
We will get through and laugh out when it comes to the point! And we will cry out our sorrows and pains when in need for a true friend...You are my true Friend! Thank you for being so kind and caring throghout the years!

Yes, MSL, this is really my Birthday today. Thanks for your wishes. So nice to see more friends around! Please join the "table"...)))))

With my pleasure!

May I introduce my best Friend Lena. It took me quite.. some time to persuade her to get registered so to welcome her here. And it has happened! Lucky me ;-))))

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v ...
never seen that episode, ,,I just like the lyrics.....