Carmen: The British pub is said to be “the heart of England”. There are around fifty thousand public houses, or pubs, in the UK.
This is the Crown, a pub in the village of Charlton on Otmore in Oxfordshire. Pub names like “The Crown” and “The Prince of Wales” are very popular and celebrate the royal family.
The pub is a place to meet friends. But they are very different from a café as pubs serve alcohol.
At one point everyone drank beer. The water wasn’t very good so it was safer to drink beer than water. People often called this “small beer”.
Barmaid: Can I get you anything?
Carmen: No small, or large beer for me thanks.
In the past, the local pub was the centre of the community. Gossip and business deals happened right here in the pub.
The Crown is more than a hundred years old. The landlord, Mark Franklin, grew up in the village.
Carmen: Can I give you a hand with the polishing?
Mark: Yes you can.
Carmen: So Mark tell me how important is the pub for the community?
Mark: The pub is very important to the community because it’s the main meeting point for the village.
Carmen: So who comes here?
Mark: People come here from all walks of life, old and young. They meet here for darts nights and quiz nights.
Carmen: Great, so how has the pub changed over the years?
Mark: The pub has changed in the way we do food here now and we show satellite TV.
Carmen: Well many pubs like this in rural areas have closed. Do you think the Crown will stay open?
Mark: I hope the pub will stay open because I feel it’s the heart of the village. Would you like a drink?
Carmen: Oh yes please. This is thirsty work.
......
But there’s is a big difference between the rural village pub and pubs in towns and cities. There are many different types of pubs.
There are traditional pubs, famous for games like darts. And gastro pubs. These are pubs that serve expensive food.
There are also pubs that are owned by large companies. These pubs, wherever you are in the UK, all look very similar.
And then there are bars that look a bit like pubs. Like this one.
They seem to be having a good time. But drinking too much has become a problem in the UK.
When people drink a lot and get very drunk very quickly, this is called binge drinking. Binge drinking is increasing in young people.
......
There are several organisations that try to help young people with their drink problems. Glenda Lee works for Turning Point.
Carmen: So Glenda, tell me, do you see many young people with alcohol problems?
Glenda: We do, Carmen, we see more young people coming to us for help.
Carmen: So what kind of problems does drinking too much alcohol create?
Glenda: Drinking too much alcohol can lead to violence, accidents, to unprotected sex, to addiction and the possibility of death.
Carmen: Is it getting worse?
Glenda: Yes, the problem is getting worse. We’ve seen an increase in the past four years of young people and young adult drinking and especially binge drinking.
Carmen: So what are you doing about it?
Glenda: One thing that Turning Point is doing about it is a product called a binge pack. Inside is information about drinking, about how much is too much. We have a condom to encourage safe sex – and that’s a binge pack.
Carmen: Going to the pub is an important part of British culture. And drinking too much has become a problem. But going to the pub doesn’t mean you have to drink alcohol… I’m going to have a nice cup of tea!
Ashlie: This was Stephen’s idea. He loves clubbing, but this really isn’t my kind of music! I don’t know why I put up with him sometimes.
Stephen: What’s wrong, Ash? Surely you must like this. It’s great! I’m just getting warmed up!
Ashlie: Oh Stephen I can hardly hear you. What did you say?
Stephen: I said the music’s great. Why aren’t you dancing?
Ashlie: You must be joking, it sounds like a car alarm. It’s giving me a headache. I can’t stand this kind of music.
Stephen: Oh, but dance music’s much better...
Ashlie: You know I’m going to speak to the DJ.
Stephen: Ashlie! What are you doing? You’ve cleared the dance floor. This is a dance club, not some pop venue.
Ashlie: Well, I couldn’t listen to that noise anymore.
Stephen: Come on. Let’s get out of here before people start complaining!
.....
Ashlie: Listen - we’ve tried live music, a club and a pub and I’ve just had a message from Sally and she says there’s a party at her friend’s house. Come on, let’s get a taxi. You don’t have to get up early tomorrow, do you?
Stephen: No, but we won’t know anyone there. Are you sure we can we just turn up? Are they going to let us in?
Ashlie: Yes - I’m sure - we’ll just tell them you’re with me. Come on, I’ve got to look up her address.
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Stephen: Hey guys, all right...
......
Stephen: This is such a great house for a party.
Ashlie: Yes, it is, isn’t it? Except someone’s just turned up that terrible music. We haven’t been very lucky tonight, have we?
Stephen: For once I agree with you. I thought coming to a house party would be better than a club. You know, we could chat, meet some really cool people but this is awful.
Ashlie: Right – that’s it. We’ve spent the whole night complaining about music. Come on, we’re off!
......
Stephen: I can’t believe it. We were looking for the perfect night out and look where we ended up.
Ashlie: Oh, I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we make our own music!
London has the best nightclubs in the world and there are plenty of great clubs for you to choose from. From the biggest superclubs, to intimate boutique clubs; London clubbing is like no other in the world. Visit world reknowned London Club Ministry of Sound and if you like West End clubs then Piccadilly Institute is a new super club. New Years Eve 2011 Parties and Clubbing and great London student nights.
VIDEO 1
Ashlie: That should do it. The Yorkshire Grey in half an hour... I’m here in Covent Garden and we’re going on a night out. It’s the very centre of London – a place where lots of people come to meet up and hit the town. Now, Stephen should be here any minute. Stephen: Hi Ash. Sorry I’m late. Have you heard from Caroline and Carl? Ashlie: Yes, they’re at the Yorkshire Grey. Just round the corner. Come on. Stephen: You alright? Ashlie: How are you? Stephen: Hi Carline – how’ve you been? Caroline: Yeah good – so great to see you. Carl: How are you? How’s things? Ashlie: Really good. You? Carl: Yeah – good thanks. Ashlie: Go on then Stephen – get us some drinks. Stephen: Ok – what will you have? Ashlie: I’ll have a sparkling water and what are you having, Caroline? Caroline: Er, a glass of white wine. Ashlie: And a glass of white for Caroline. Ooh and get us some crisps, salt and vinegar. Stephen: And how about you Carl? What can I get you? Carl: Thanks Stephen, I’ll have a pint of lager. Ashlie: Come on then. Let’s go and sit down. Carl: I’ll give you a hand.
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Stephen: Hi there. Can I have a sparkling … Stephen: Sorry - Hi Phil? This really isn’t a good time. I’ll call you back in er...10 minutes? OK. Yeah. Right. Um, can I have a sparkling water, a glass of white wine, a coke, a pint of lager - and a packet of salt and vinegar crisps, please? Barmaid: There’s the lager, a sparkling water, a cola and a packet of salt and vinegar crisps.... Is there anything else? Stephen: That’s it thanks. Barmaid: That’s nine ninety, please. Stephen: Here you go, 10 pounds. Keep the change.
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Ashlie: Here they are. You guys took your time. Stephen: Big queue at the bar. There you go. Ashlie: Thank you. Ashlie: So, what’s the plan for tonight then? Stephen: Well, we could go to another pub? Or we could… Phil called. I said I’d call him back. Ashlie: Ah - I’ll give him a ring. His band might be playing tonight. I’ll just pop outside. I’ll be back in a sec. Caroline: What sort of music is it? Stephen: Do you know what … it’s a bit … it’s not my kind of thing… Ashlie: Right guys. Listen. Phil’s band are playing tonight in Brixton and if we leave now we’ll make it just in time. Carl: OK then, lets go. Ashlie: Come on then, let’s get a taxi.
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Ashlie: Wow, they’re so cool! Stephen: Hmmm. Singer: Thank you very much. We’re the Rum Shebeens. Goodnight. Ashlie: They were excellent. They were so good! Stephen: Ah - I’m not sure about the music. It’s not exactly my kind of thing. You can’t really dance to it, can you? You know what guys, I think we should go dancing. I know a great place. Carl: Actually, it’s getting quite late. Stephen: Oh, come on. Carl: Sorry, I’ve got to go to work in the morning. Caroline: Me too, Stephen. I’m sorry. We’ll get a taxi home. Stephen: OK, nevermind. It looks like it’s just me and you, kid! Ashlie: Well, actually Stephen, it is late and... Stephen: Oh come on, don’t be so boring. I want to dance. Ashlie: Oh, alright, then. See you later guys! Caroline: Have a good night. See you later! Ashlie: See you! Carl: Bye. Stephen: Have a good night – take care! Ashlie: Right then. Where are you taking me? Stephen: You’re going to love it.
It's Columbus Day, and CNN Student News commemorates the occasion by exploring the history of this holiday. We also consider how the U.S. economy might impact next year's presidential election. We offer some students' thoughts on how to stop bullying. And we meet a runner whose personal goal is more than 200,000 miles away.
Victoria Montenegro was abducted as a newborn by a military colonel. She testified last spring in the trial over baby thefts. This is a report taken from The New York Times on October 8, 2011 by Alexei Barrionuevo. The article makes reference to the Oscar-winning Argentine film "The Official Story," which we post after the article with subtitles in English (as released in the USA in 2004)
BUENOS AIRES - Victoria Montenegro recalls a childhood filled with chilling dinnertime discussions. Lt. Col. Hernán Tetzlaff, the head of the family, would recount military operations he had taken part in where “subversives” had been tortured or killed. The discussions often ended with his “slamming his gun on the table,” she said.
It took an incessant search by a human rights group, a DNA match and almost a decade of overcoming denial for Ms. Montenegro, 35, to realize that Colonel Tetzlaff was, in fact, not her father — nor the hero he portrayed himself to be.
Instead, he was the man responsible for murdering her real parents and illegally taking her as his own child, she said.
He confessed to her what he had done in 2000, Ms. Montenegro said. But it was not until she testified at a trial here last spring that she finally came to grips with her past, shedding once and for all the name that Colonel Tetzlaff and his wife had given her — María Sol — after falsifying her birth records.
The trial, in the final phase of hearing testimony, could prove for the first time that the nation’s top military leaders engaged in a systematic plan to steal babies from perceived enemies of the government.
Jorge Rafael Videla, who led the military during Argentina’s dictatorship, stands accused of leading the effort to take babies from mothers in clandestine detention centers and give them to military or security officials, or even to third parties, on the condition that the new parents hide the true identities. Mr. Videla is one of 11 officials on trial for 35 acts of illegal appropriation of minors.
The trial is also revealing the complicity of civilians, including judges and officials of the Roman Catholic Church.
The abduction of an estimated 500 babies was one of the most traumatic chapters of the military dictatorship that ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1983. The frantic effort by mothers and grandmothers to locate their missing children has never let up. It was the one issue that civilian presidents elected after 1983 did not excuse the military for, even as amnesty was granted for other “dirty war” crimes.
“Even the many Argentines who considered the amnesty a necessary evil were unwilling to forgive the military for this,” said José Miguel Vivanco, the Americas director for Human Rights Watch.
In Latin America, the baby thefts were largely unique to Argentina’s dictatorship, Mr. Vivanco said. There was no such effort in neighboring Chile’s 17-year dictatorship.
One notable difference was the role of the Catholic Church. In Argentina the church largely supported the military government, while in Chile it confronted the government of Gen. Augusto Pinochet and sought to expose its human rights crimes, Mr. Vivanco said.
Priests and bishops in Argentina justified their support of the government on national security concerns, and defended the taking of children as a way to ensure they were not “contaminated” by leftist enemies of the military, said Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, a Nobel Prize-winning human rights advocate who has investigated dozens of disappearances and testified at the trial last month.
Ms. Montenegro contended: “They thought they were doing something Christian to baptize us and give us the chance to be better people than our parents. They thought and felt they were saving our lives.”
Church officials in Argentina and at the Vatican declined to answer questions about their knowledge of or involvement in the covert adoptions.
For many years, the search for the missing children was largely futile. But that has changed in the past decade thanks to more government support, advanced forensic technology and a growing genetic data bank from years of testing. The latest adoptee to recover her real identity, Laura Reinhold Siver, brought the total number of recoveries to 105 in August.
Still, the process of accepting the truth can be long and tortuous. For years, Ms. Montenegro rejected efforts by officials and advocates to discover her true identity. From a young age, she received a “strong ideological education” from Colonel Tetzlaff, an army officer at a secret detention center.
If she picked up a flier from leftists on the street, “he would sit me down for hours to tell me what the subversives had done to Argentina,” she said.
He took her along to a detention center where he spent hours discussing military operations with his fellow officers, “how they had killed people, tortured them,” she said.
“I grew up thinking that in Argentina there had been a war, and that our soldiers had gone to war to guarantee the democracy,” she said. “And that there were no disappeared people, that it was all a lie.”
She said he did not allow her to see movies about the “dirty war,” including “The Official Story,” the 1985 film about an upper-middle-class couple raising a girl taken from a family that was disappeared.
In 1992, when she was 15, Colonel Tetzlaff was detained briefly on suspicion of baby stealing. Five years later, a court informed Ms. Montenegro that she was not the biological child of Colonel Tetzlaff and his wife, she said.
“I was still convinced it was all a lie,” she said.
By 2000, Ms. Montenegro still believed her mission was to keep Colonel Tetzlaff out of prison. But she relented and gave a DNA sample. A judge then delivered jarring news: the test confirmed that she was the biological child of Hilda and Roque Montenegro, who had been active in the resistance. She learned that she and the Montenegros had been kidnapped when she was 13 days old.
At a restaurant over dinner, Colonel Tetzlaff confessed to Ms. Montenegro and her husband: He had headed the operation in which the Montenegros were tortured and killed, and had taken her in May 1976, when she was 4 months old.
“I can’t bear to say any more,” she said, choking up at the memory of the dinner.
A court convicted Colonel Tetzlaff in 2001 of illegally appropriating Ms. Montenegro. He went to prison, and Ms. Montenegro, still believing his actions during the dictatorship had been justified, visited him weekly until his death in 2003.
Slowly, she got to know her biological parents’ family.
“This was a process; it wasn’t one moment or one day when you erase everything and begin again,” she said. “You are not a machine that can be reset and restarted.”
It fell to her to tell her three sons that Colonel Tetzlaff was not the man they thought he was.
“He told them that their grandfather was a brave soldier, and I had to tell them that their grandfather was a murderer,” she said.
When she testified at the trial, she used her original name, Victoria, for the first time. “It was very liberating,” she said.
She says she still does not hate the Tetzlaffs. But “the heart doesn’t kidnap you, it doesn’t hide you, it doesn’t hurt you, it doesn’t lie to you all of your life,” she said. “Love is something else.”
Before the fall season on Broadway swings into high gear, a specialiazed critic checked back in with two of last season's Tony-winning hits to see how they are holding up and filed the following review.
Stephen: I'll put the kettle on. Oh Ash, we forgot the sugar. I'll see if any of the other campers have some.
......
Stephen: Hi there.
Camper: Hello.
Stephen: Erm... I was I wondering if I could borrow some sugar?
Camper: Yes sure, here you go.
Stephen: Ah thanks. Hi, I'm Stephen, and that's my sister Ashlie over there.
Camper: Pleased to meet you. My name's Andy.
Stephen: Where are you from?
Camper: I'm from Sheffield. Where are you guys from?
Stephen: Ah, we're from London. Great tent!
Camper: Yeah it is great, isn't it? It's got two sections; one for sleeping one for cooking.
Stephen: Is it easy to put up?
Camper: It's really, really easy actually. All modern tents are simple to put up.
Stephen: Er yeah. They are, aren't they?
Ashlie: Stephen, kettle's boiled!
......
Stephen: Er - excuse me, when's your next show?
Performer: In an hour.
Stephen: So, who are you?
Performer: We're the River People Theatre Company – we do folk theatre with puppetry and live music.
Stephen: So do you get to travel much around the country?
Performer: Yeah – a bit – we've started. This is our first big festival. Er... and so we're going to do a bigger show and do more next year … going to do all the festivals next year.
Stephen: Ah wonderful – well, hopefully I'll catch your next show.
Performer: Yeah. Thanks very much.
Stephen: Take care – bye!
......
Stephen: Look Ash, a yoga class. Let's join in.
Ashlie: It might be a bit advanced for you.
Stephen: I'll be fine, just watch me.
Ashlie: If you're sure.
......
Stephen: Er... Ashlie, I don't think I can get up. Can you give me a hand?
Ashlie: Come on you. I think you need a bit more practice.
Stephen: What do you mean? I'm a natural!
Ashlie: Hmm yeah. I'm starving. I think it's time for something to eat.
Stephen: Yeah - let's go back and have a BBQ back at the campsite.
Ashlie: Great idea!
......
Stephen: Right, I'm an expert at this. I've got my charcoal, all I need is dry sticks and a stone.
Ashlie: How about some matches?
Stephen: That's cheating.
Ashlie: But I'm really hungry!
Stephen: OK, OK.
Ashlie: Here you go.
Stephen: Do we have any bread?
Ashlie: Ah no - I'll have to go and get some.
Stephen: Great.
......
Ashlie: Stephen – it's burning!
Stephen: Oh no…
Ashlie: The food, it's on fire!
Stephen: Oh the food's ruined!
Ashlie: And my tent is soaking – come on! We can't cook anything else on that now. We'll have to go into town and get some more food.
Ashlie: Oh look, Stephen. I can see the Isle of Wight.
Stephen: Ah – you'll never guess what I've done.
Ashlie: What Stephen? I don't believe it. What have you forgotten?
Stephen: I don't have my passport!
Ashlie: Stephen, we're not leaving England. You don't need your passport.
Stephen: Oh, so you mean I don't need any foreign money after all?
Ashlie: Ha ha - very funny. We're heading to a music festival on the Isle of Wight. It's an island on the south coast of England.
Stephen: It's called Bestival, and I can't wait. There's going to be music, food and camping.
Ashlie: I love camping; fresh air, stars at night...
Stephen: Don't you mean, er, insects, cold showers and sleeping on the ground?
Ashlie: It's going to be brilliant, Stephen. I just hope the weather's good, I do not fancy camping in the rain.
Stephen: Well, you know what I always say; be prepared! So I've brought clothes for any weather. We'll be fine.
Ashlie: Well, we're almost there. So we better head to the van. Come on you.
......
Stephen: I'm so glad we borrowed a camper van.
Ashlie: It's cool, isn't it. Very retro!
Stephen: I know. There aren't too many of these vans still around. This one's nearly forty years old.
Ashlie: Oh, so just a bit older than you then!
Stephen: Ha-ha. Come on. I want to have a look round the festival.
Ashlie: OK, well I saw some interesting stalls over there.
Stephen: Oh, I want to go to the main stage. I want to see some live music.
Ashlie: OK, well I will meet you at the tea tent then in an hour. Have fun!
......
Ashlie: Oh! Hey you scared me there! You guys look great. What have you come as?
Festival Goer 1: Erm, the caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland.
Ashlie: Oh wow. I've noticed a lot of people in fancy dress, actually. What's going on?
Festival Goer 2: Oh it's erm – at this festival, every year, everybody gets dressed up.
Festival Goer 1: And the theme this year is fantasy.
Ashlie: So what does fantasy mean?
Festival Goer 2: Fantasy means anything from outer space to Alice in Wonderland.
Ashlie: Well, I must say you guys look amazing. I'll have to remember that one for next year. Have a nice festival guys!
......
Waitress: Hi, can I help?
Ashlie: Oh yes. Can I get tea for two, please?
Waitress: Would you like a high tea?
Ashlie: That would be lovely, yes please.
Waitress: I'll just be a minute.
Ashlie: Thank you
Stephen: Hey Ash!
Ashlie: Wow Stephen!
Stephen: Did you order tea?
Ashlie: Yeah. Nice fantasy costume. But what on earth are you? You look like an alien.
Stephen: What are you talking about? This is my rain gear. I thought I felt a few drops earlier.
Ashlie: Oh.
Waitress: High tea for two.
Ashlie: Thank you.
......
Ashlie: Come on then, let's set up camp.
Stephen: Are you really going to sleep in your tent, Ash?
Ashlie: Of course I am. I love sleeping under the stars, you know, getting closer to nature.
Stephen: Well, I'm staying in the camper van. I don't want to sleep on the ground.
Ashlie: Stephen you can't do that. That's not proper camping.
Stephen: Yes, but I've got running water and…even a fridge.
Ashlie: Well, I still say that that's not real camping.
Stephen: It is to me and besides, you snore.
Ashlie: I do not!
Ashlie: Where's my tent?
Stephen: There you go. We need to get everything sorted before it gets dark.
......
Stephen: Right, that's me done!
Stephen: Do you need a hand?
Ashlie: I think there's another pole or something somewhere.
Stephen: Are you sure you don't want any help?
Ashlie: No, I'm fine, I know what I'm doing.
Stephen: OK, if you're sure.
Ashlie: I think I've sorted it... Ta da!
......
Stephen: Right, I'm off to bed. See you in the morning.
Ashlie: OK, night!
Stephen: Night!
Ashlie: Stephen!
Are you after value for money when you're shopping for fashion; or fashion that's made with values? Listen and find out more.
Hello and welcome to Trend UK, your shortcut to popular culture from the British Council. In the next few minutes we’re going to be asking whether you’re after value for money when you’re shopping for fashion; or fashion that’s made with values. We’re all after a bargain on the high street. But how often do you stop to consider how some stores seem to stock low-cost/high fashion items quicker and more cheaply than others? Fulfilling our needs for fast fashion means increased production and competition in clothing made in countries with low-wage economies. Our reporter Mark has been to the high street to find out more.
Here in a typical British high street there are plenty of bargains to be had. Handbags at £3.99, T-shirts for a fiver and shoes for under a tenner - all roughly equivalent to the price of an everyday meal. But how many of the people shopping in this high street have stopped to think about how it’s possible to sell clothes so cheaply? Is it because some companies are turning a blind eye to the exploitation in the countries where these items are made? Ruth Rothelson is an expert on ethical shopping from the Ethical Consumer Research Association, who amongst other things produced the magazine ‘Ethical Consumer’.
Ruth, just tell us what the Ethical Consumer Research Association is.
OK, well the Ethical Consumer Research Association exists to provide information for shoppers, letting them know what the companies are doing behind the brands that they see on the shelves.
So what makes an ethical shopper?
Very broadly speaking, people who are concerned about ethical issues want to know that the product they’re buying hasn’t been made at the expense of the people who are producing it, whether it’s in this country or abroad. They might also be concerned with other kinds of issues: whether the company is involved in armaments, or whether they’re donating money to certain political parties. And that as a shopper, you might not want to give your money to that party so therefore you might not want to buy a product from a company who is supporting a political party that you don’t agree with.
And is there any kind of rule of thumb? Is something that’s more expensive, for example, likely to be more ethical?
Unfortunately it isn’t always the case that the more expensive something is, the more ethical it is. We can buy very cheap products and it’s very likely that when products are cheap, something has suffered in order to get it to us. Whether it’s the person making it or the animals or the environment. Quality however, is often a good indicator whether something, especially with clothes, has been made well. And unfortunately a lot of ethical products will cost more because they reflect the real cost of bringing that thing into the shops. So something that has been made in a factory where the workers have been paid a proper wage will cost you more to buy, simply because the people making it are getting paid enough to live on.
Do you have to be well off then to be an ethical shopper?
It really depends. You don’t have to be rich to be an ethical shopper. One way of thinking about ethical shopping is thinking about buying less. Sometimes we buy an awful lot more than we need. We buy more items of clothing than we need. So being an ethical shopper really means thinking a bit before you go and spend your money in the shops. Some things may cost a little bit more in the short-run, but be worth it in the long-run. If you are paying for quality, something will last you longer and then save you money. And sometimes you can buy things second-hand. There’s a lot of charity shops on the high street to buy good clothes. Sometimes you can look a lot better than someone who’s just bought off the high street because you can have quite a unique look, and the quality that you find in most second-hand shops is really very good these days. So it’s about thinking before you shop.
Thanks Ruth. Now among the shoppers here I’ve got Lauren and Bella. Starting with you Bella, would you consider shopping ethically?
Definitely for food. And clothing, well, when I buy clothes I wouldn’t want to think of them being made in a sweat shop.
Lauren you do shop ethically. But you’ve got a slightly different take on it haven’t you.
Yeah I suppose I shop ethically but my original thing for that was that I like to wear clothes that are different from everyone else. So I would start shopping for vintage clothes. So ethically, obviously they’re second-hand so…also I buy a lot of clothes from market stalls, from fashion students maybe. So they’re all made here, so they would be made ethically as well.
Thanks Lauren, thanks Bella. Well it’s an interesting debate, and I’ll certainly be doing my clothes shopping with a little bit more care in future.
Treasures of Heaven. Saints, relics and devotion in medieval Europe at The British Museum.
So, if you are planning a trip to London, do not miss this exhibition. And if you stay in Argentina, just enjoy this great video. This major exhibition brings together for the first time some of the finest sacred treasures of the medieval age.
The exhibition features over 150 objects from more than 40 institutions including the Vatican, European church treasuries, museums from the USA and Europe and the British Museum’s own pre-eminent collection.
Where heaven and earth meet
It was during the medieval period that the use of relics in devotional practice first developed and became a central part of Christian worship. For many, the relics of Christ and the saints – objects associated with them, such as body parts or possessions – continue to provide a bridge between heaven and earth today.
Sacred containers
Relics were usually set into ornate containers of silver and gold known as reliquaries, opulently decorated by the finest craftsmen of the age. They had spiritual and symbolic value that reflected the importance of their sacred contents.
Over a thousand years of history
The earliest items date from the late Roman period and trace the evolution of the cult of the saints from the 4th century to the peak of relic veneration in late medieval Europe.
Relics featured in the exhibition include three thorns thought to be from the Crown of Thorns, fragments of the True Cross, the foot of St Blaise, the breast milk of the Virgin Mary, the hair of St John the Evangelist, and the Mandylion of Edessa (one of the earliest known likenesses of Jesus).
Witness a lost heritage
Treasures such as these have not been seen in significant numbers in the UK since the Reformation in the 16th century, which saw the wholesale destruction of saints’ shrines. The exhibition offers a rare opportunity to glimpse the heritage of beautiful medieval craftsmanship that was lost to this country for centuries.
A British man, born on the Falkland Islands has become the first person from there to chose Argentine citizenship.
James Peck was handed his national identity card by Argentine President Cristina Fernandez, during a ceremony to mark the 29th anniversary of the end of the Falklands War.
Peck's father fought for the British during the conflict.
Mayan End of World Prediction Explored in Film Texas Guardian Friday 20th May, 2011
In recent years, the idea that the world will end on December 21, 2012 has gained attention and spawned thousands of web sites, blogs, books and even a Hollywood movie. Although scientists generally dismiss the idea, curators of the Museum of Natural Science in Houston decided to use the prediction as a hook to draw visitors into the world of the ancient Maya. They do it through a planetarium film and an exhibit being prepared for next year-- just in time, some might say, for the end of everything.
The film shown on the museum's huge planetarium screen examines myths and rituals of the ancient Maya in southern Mexico and Central America. It focuses on the Maya calendar, or long count, which was divided into baktuns of 144,000 days each.
From the film: "All Maya kept the same ritual, solar and long count calendars, using them to describe the past and foretell the future."
On some surviving calendars, everything ends on the day equivalent to our date of December 21, 2012.
Carolyn Sumners, Vice President of the museum's Department of Astronomy and Physical Science, supervised the film project. "There is an alignment with the center of the galaxy on December 21st. It just happens that the Maya 13th Baktun starts on December 21st, at least in some of the calendars, and there is just enough going on to make one wonder if it is all connected," she said.
But the film makes clear that the Maya were not necessarily predicting catastrophe.Sumners says the end of Maya time periods generally were regarded the same way we look at such things as the start of a new century or a new millennium. "It seems to be a cause of celebration. There does not seem to be any indication in the Maya writings of great disaster. They did believe in the end of time; they talked about great floods, Sumners explained. "All these things were discussed, but they did not tie them to the long count."
To bring audiences into the world of the Maya, Sumners and her team went to four sites in Mexico and Guatemala to shoot extreme wide-angle video of the ruins.
They employed computer-generated images to show what those sites might have looked like centuries ago when they were the centers of great Maya achievements in math and astronomy.
Visitors to Houston's Natural Science Museum can also see Maya artifacts on display.
Curator Dirk Van Tuerenhout is developing an even larger exhibit for next year, to coincide with the end-of-world date. "It is a combination of all kinds of sources of information that we are pulling together to tell the story of the Maya culture, ancient Maya, colonial Maya, modern Maya," said Van Tuerenhout.
The Maya civilization collapsed more than 500 years ago, probably because of environmental changes that undermined its agriculture. But Maya people still live in the Yucatan peninsula and parts of Central America and many have emigrated to Houston.
Researchers have used their knowledge of modern Maya languages to decipher the ancient hieroglyphs, and many top experts in this field are at the University of Texas.
Van Tuerenhout says they offer valuable insights. "The ancient voices are speaking through these very few individuals who can read and decipher Maya writing," he said.
Van Tuerenhout says ancient Mayan sites continue to provide new information about the mysterious ancient civilization and its achievements.
He says the Museum's goal is to show people that there is much more to the Maya than a spurious prediction of doom.
Buenos Aires' Teatro Lola Membrives houses one of the most powerful pieces of musical plays: CHICAGO. It is a musical with lots of history behind, and in Buenos Aires is being staged for the third time. The following is a review of the current Broadway production.
Judging by the performance of “Chicago” I recently attended, it's easy to see why it's lasted so long. Six years is a milestone for a show that at first blush seems so dramatically hollow. But with this one, it's really all about style, and stylistically, this is a gorgeous living tribute to Broadway style master Bob Fosse, with a tremendous assist from composers John Kander and Freb Ebb.
It continues to be a lean and mean production; there’s nothing windy about this “Chicago.” In the leads now are Charlotte D'Amboise as the murderess Roxie Hart, and her jailmate Velma Kelly, played by a scintillating Caroline O'Connor.
Another revelation in this cast is movie star Billy Zane as the suave mercenary lawyer Billy Flynn. Besides being dreamy to look at, he has all the requisite chops for Broadway. Making his New York debut, Zane’s crooning and confident acting is on par with any polished veteran.
D'Amboise plays up the hometown girl in Roxie, lowering the temperature a bit on a role that others have turned red-hot. But she brings a kind of giddy, free-spirit to the part that is utterly charming. Her extended solo turn that seemed entirely improvised was sensational.
Caroline O'Connor is slinky and sexy and loaded with attitude. With her smashing singing voice and fat-free body, she is one very impressive package.
Of course much of the credit for keeping the show in such fine shape goes to Director Walter Bobbie and Ann Reinking, credited with choreography in the style of Bob Fosse. In this faithful recreation they manage to enhance Fosse's dazzling work, never to detract.
“Chicago” is a show that can take some serious tampering, and part of the brilliance of the creative team is knowing just how far they can alter the original concept without losing its essence.
Roxie's husband Amos was played six years ago by the very trim song and dance legend Joel Grey. Now, the role is filled out by the physically opposite Rob Bartlett, and the results are equally satisfying even though Bartlett neither sings nor dances.
And as the prison matron Mama Morton, there's the booming voiced, ample-bodied Roz Ryan, who adds a wonderful new dimension to the part, created by the great character actress Marcia Lewis.
But the true keepers of the Fosse flame are the dancing ensemble. These mostly unheralded triple threats are always onstage, and it seems never short of vitality or style.
Six years usually spells the geriatric ward for a Broadway show, but whether it's the showbiz equivalent of Viagra or tremendous quality control, "Chicago" continues to hold up beautifully.
CNN Student News is a ten-minute, commercial-free, daily news program for middle and high school students in the US produced by the journalists and educators at CNN.
Today we bring you the latest edition of CNN Students News (April 15. 2011) for you to practise Listening Comprehension. The programme is not intended for learners of English, but we think it is a great way for you to improve your target language and to be in contact with English. Additionally, you may download today's program's transcription. Enjoy!
Jennifer Macey reported this story on Tuesday, April 5, 2011
This report is brought to you courtesy of ABC Radio Australia.
As you listen, you may read the transcription. Ideally, it would be great not to do so. We post it here for you to check some words that may be difficult to understand beca
MARK COLVIN: The bomb detection dog Sarbi which went missing in action in Afghanistan for 13 months today received the RSPCA's highest honour, the purple cross medal. It's only the second time the purple cross has been awarded for service in war. The first was bestowed posthumously on 'Murphy', one of John Simpson's Gallipoli donkeys.
Jennifer Macey prepared this report.
LYNNE BRADSHAW: So here's your reward, Sarbi. Congratulations.
JENNIFER MACEY: At the War Memorial in Canberra today, the national president of the RSPCA, Lynne Bradshaw received a big lick on the lips from the latest recipient of the animal bravery award, the bomb detection dog Sarbi.
LYNNE BRADSHAW: I think there's no doubt that Sarbi has shown an incredible resilience and strength that should be recognised. The RSPCA would like to present Sarbi with the RSPCA Australia purple cross award for the courage she has shown while serving her country during her time in Afghanistan.
And by presenting this award to Sarbi, the RSPCA hopes to raise awareness of the role that animals play in war, the unquestioning and unwavering service to man. And we hope now that Sarbi can live out her life here in Australia with all the love and luxuries that any dog deserves.
JENNIFER MACEY: The medal was in recognition of an encounter Sarbi had with the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2008. The Taliban ambushed a convoy of Australian and American troops, injuring nine soldiers, including Sarbi's handler, Sergeant D.
The explosion blew off the leash that attached Sarbi to her handler and she went missing in action. One of the soldiers, Trooper Mark Donaldson was later awarded a Victoria Cross for risking his life to rescue an Afghan interpreter who was blown off the vehicle. Today the nine-year-old Labrador/Newfoundland cross, Sarbi, becomes the second member of that convoy awarded a medal for bravery.
LYNNE BRADSHAW: Throughout our history thousands of animals have supported the Australian Defence Force in a variety of roles. Like most people, no doubt, we would prefer animals didn't go to war but they do go, and while ever they do we must recognise the part they play and, in many cases, the lives lost.
JENNIFER MACEY: After the ambush, nobody could find Sarbi. Then 13 months later an American soldier on patrol in north-eastern Uruzgan province spotted a Labrador cross walking with an Afghan man. She was eventually identified and reunited with her handler, Sergeant D. Then, after several months in quarantine Sarbi returned to Australia in January.
Corporal Adam Exelby from the School of Military Engineering in Sydney trains dogs to sniff out explosives and accompanied Sarbi to the ceremony in Canberra today.
ADAM EXELBY: I think it's great. I think they probably don't maybe get recognised enough for the job that they do over there.
JENNIFER MACEY: Sarbi meanwhile took all the attention in her stride.
ADAM EXELBY: Yeah, I think she's all a bit bewildered at the moment but all the attention, you know they do tend to get a lot of attention, especially overseas as well with the troops. Yeah, probably wouldn't be the first time that she's actually had a lot of attention.
JENNIFER MACEY: But she won't be going back to the front line again.
ADAM EXELBY: No, she won't actually deploy overseas again. As far as her role here in Australia, she's currently helping with a course that's running. But other than that, she's probably due to retire in the not too distant future. So she'll actually, Sergeant D will be taking her home and she'll become a bit of a home dog.
JENNIFER MACEY: This is the Sarbi's third award. She's also the recipient of the Afghanistan medal and the canine service medal awarded by the Australian Defence Trackers Association.
