Writing task MAC 3 (I guess)  Pg 39 - Resource Pack - ex 7.

Dear Mr. Bill Jones

I am writing this letter to oppose about the plans for the new library; I may say that when I saw the plans, I sensed a good variety of mistakes.

Firstly I feel that the decision to use concrete should be rethought, besides the location is suitable to use the local stone, not only to the building but as well to support the quarries, not only this, with time, concrete tend to lost its beauty.

Even living nearby the coast, there is not a need to build it based on a ship, it wouldn’t pass a good sensation having a boat-looking library in the town, since ships were made with the initial intention to stay in the sea and it may not fit to be a model building. Another issue I could notice is the absence of windows, which give to the place a need to use more lamps to illuminate the place instead of natural light, spending more with illumination that the necessary if solar light could enter in to the building.

What really called my attention was the plan which our gardens are going to be replaced by paving stones, our city has enough pavements, and there is a need for a natural place along the streets, putting that aside would make the city lost the few green points we have.

Hoping a change, yours faithfully, Mr. Barking

  

Bruno Akira

Hello people!

Finally I'm posting my voicethread link with my speech.

voicethread.com/share/3213237

Sorry about my voice (I don't like my voice when recorded) and the poor quality of the recording.

I really wanted to add more pictures to it, specially because I'm talking about photography, but I quit struggling with that thing.

These are the photos I've mentioned in my speech.
The first one is a picture from Vietnam War (Mariane had mentioned this war in her speech and I have instantly remembered this one) which is very famous and iconic. The latter is another famous picture of the protest of a student in front of war tanks in China. Both photos are dramatic and a good example when words become not enough to describe the depth of some pictures.

=)

Finally, here is my voicethread link:

http://voicethread.com/share/3216961/

It sounds like a child, but it's me. =P

My gosh!!!It was hard, but I did it. http://voicethread.com/?#u2776673.b3214354.i17041721
ufff!!

Bruna here is  my voice thread link. http://voicethread.com/?#u2774551.b3212441.i17033098 sorry for the background noise.

Bruna, finally, this is my voicethread:

voicethread.com/share/3209291/

Hello to all :)
As teacher Bruna asked us, I made my speech "Words are not enough" and I recorded it in voicethread website. So, I am posting here the link for you.

https://voicethread.com/?#u2766399.b3195940.i16955716

Thank you. Good week for us.

 Mariane.

This week and last week we [MAC 2 (I guess its MAC 2, i dont have a clue)] talked about some cases, juridic cases like Stella Liebeck; the Worst ever Play to Appear on London Stage; basically pg. 60 - 63, and the Magazine Super Interessante made in April 3 pages about the craziests sues ever happened, its in Portuguese but...

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If u want to read some article in English, here is another one, its pretty insane too.

Avaaz: Hours to save the Amazon

Dear friends across Brazil, 

Days ago, Congress passed a catastrophic forestry bill that gives loggers and farmers free rein to cut down huge swaths of our precious forests, from the Amazon to the Atlantic. Now only President Dilma can stop it. 

Timing is on our side -- in weeks Dilma will host the world’s biggest environmental summit and insiders say she cannot afford to be pinned as the leader who approved the devastation of the Amazon. Dozens have been murdered for standing against deforestation. Now it's up to us to turn up the heat and push her to veto. 

Dilma will make her decision in the next 24 hours! Let's get her to veto the bill. Click below to sign the urgent petition to stop the Amazon chainsaw massacre and if you have already signed -- send this to everyone: 

http://www.avaaz.org/en/brasil_veta_dilma_reblast/?vl 

Over the last decade, Brazil has succeeded in vastly reducing deforestation rates, achieving a 78% reduction between 2004 and 2011. The reason? A world-acclaimed forestry law, strong enforcement and satellite monitoring. But this dangerous new code threatens to unravel this progress and spark total forest devastation. 

The forest slayers are celebrating -- not only does this new law open up an area the size of France and Britain combined to clear-cutting devastation, it also gives them amnesty for all past deforestation crimes.

Dilma has said that she wants to strike a “compromise” between the pro-deforestation lobby and the environmental champions. But we know a compromise is not necessary -- in Brazil, economic development and the protection of our environment go hand in hand. Studies confirm that the impressive transformation of Brazilian agriculture is strongly based on productivity gains more than land area expansion. While in Russia, lenient forest protection has led to disastrous consequences -- with a huge increase in forest fires and a 20% reduction in the country’s wheat production. 

79% of us across the country reject this new forest law -- let’s make sure we are heard before it is too late. Sign now the petition to Dilma to veto now and then forward this email to everyone: 

http://www.avaaz.org/en/brasil_veta_dilma_reblast/?vl 

In the last 3 years, Brazilian Avaaz members have taken massive leaps towards the world we all want: we helped pass Ficha Limpa against all odds and have lobbied our government to play a leadership role at the UN, protect human rights globally and intervene to support democracy in the Middle East. Now, again, it's up to us to preserve our most cherished natural treasures for the benefit of our children and our grandchildren. 

With hope and determination, 

Luis, Pedro, Diego, Alice, Ricken, Maria Paz and the rest of the Avaaz team.

MORE INFORMATION: 

Brazil's Congress approves controversial forest law (BBC)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-17851237 

Brazil Forest Code Passes In Defeat For Dilma Rousseff (Huffington Post)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/27/brazil-forest-code_n_1457149.html 

Revised Brazilian Forest Code good for environmental criminals, bad for forests (IB Times)

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/articles/20120501/revised-brazilian-forest-code-environmental-criminals-forests-common.htm 

Amazon deforestation record low (BBC)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8358094.stm 

ER Lesson 18, finally: One world?

Hello again.

Here are the links related to our lesson about international cooperation (pronunciation practice, again: don't confuse it with 'corporation'...):

• http://www.cic.nyu.edu/;
• http://www.jica.go.jp/english/about/;
• http://www.ipea.gov.br/portal/ (you can always switch to the English version, LOL...);
• http://public.web.cern.ch/public/.

I haven't had the time to check them all yet, but I'm pretty curious about the Japanese one (the Japanese, Henrique, the Japanese, yes! LOL) - oh, did any of you manage to go to Matsuri? Besides meeting a handful of (former) students, I had some mouth-watering fried ice-cream and left the place with two Kokeshis and a Daruma. Thank you so much for the invitation, Lucas. :-)

Mother's Day?

ER Lesson 17, finally: Meu Brasil brasileiro

Hi there!

I know this should've been posted a while ago, but it's still worth reading anyway - BTW, it'd be great if you tried to answer the following question in your comments to the text:

Could it be that the Brazilians have the most swaggering inferiority complex in the world? The next time I'm asked "Do you like Brazil?", I will reply unequivocally: "Yes, it's a great country. But you shouldn't need me, or any other foreigner, to tell you so."

Also, a friend of mine recently posted this (cute little) video on Facebook, which reminds me of this discussion about stereotypes (and of my childhood, of course) - I hope you like it!

"Não, senhor. José Carioca, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil." :-D

Posts about more recent lessons coming soon. ;-)

5th Matsuri São Carlos - Next Friday!

As Bruna allowed me, I am here to invite you, and of course, for you to invite your friends and family, to visit the 5th Matsuri São Carlos!!

Programmation: click here

It's a great festival that brings a little of the japanese culture, like beautiful presentations, handicrafts and of course the food :9

I'm from the Yanagi Taiko group (Taiko is the japanese drums) so don't forget to watch our presentation, and come visit us in the tent of 'SORVETE FRITO'! (It sounds better, and strange, in Portuguese, for me =D). For those who never tasted it, give it a try! Its unique! But don't forget the other tents, delicious foods and beautiful handicrafts.

Thank you, we'll be waiting for you!

Off-topic* 2: Bando de babacas

Hello, guys!

Again*, I know it's not in English (this time, it's not even on-topic*!), but I simply couldn't help it* - I had to* post it! ;)

'What are you laughing at?'*
asked Capitão Nascimento - or so they say*. ;)

Humour (a topic those taking MAC2 now will be discussing* next semester - can anyone from MAC1 please check if there's anything about it in our new course[book]? Thanks!) has always been a potentially controversial issue* - but it's not what has actually inspired this post. This has:

"[...] eu sou da época da gentileza, do muito obrigado e do por favor, acredito no ser humano e ainda sou canceriano e baiano, ou seja, um babaca total. [...]"

I don't know about you*, but this got me thinking*. It made me wonder* (Led Zeppelin!*) about the sort of world we now live in, a world where kindness* is often dismissed as* silliness* - and, yes, where many can't tell* (Pink Floyd!*) 'absolutely hilarious'* from 'downright rude'*.

Don't worry: you're not being invited to take sides* here (did you hate/love 'Tropa de Elite'? Do you hate/love 'Pânico na TV'?), but to read, reflect, write and share your ideas about a topic which I believe is worth our time* - very simply put*, living in society.

So, please, don't leave me talking to myself - I'm only uploading this because I did feel* an uncontrollable urge* to discuss the subject (even though*, as has been pointed out* on* Facebook, those might not even be* Wagner Moura's words)!

*Some focus on (clichés* of) the English language and culture (for me not to* feel so guilty about* this post, indeed*) - your task: pick* a couple of the marked items and explain why they've been marked*. Yes, I'm being serious*.

Off-topic? MAC1 Midterm test: Materials and instructions

Dear MAC1 students,

Please check all your email accounts to make sure you get our Midterm-Test-Extra-Materials-and-Instructions, which I've just sent to the addresses in my list - I mean, not necessarily to the addresses you used when accepting my invitation to our blog.

I hope you've already started studying and send me your questions via email as soon as possible - if you do want them answered in time, that is... :-D

See you next class!

ER Lesson 14: So academic

I hope you're enjoying your weekend, guys.

Here's the link to the (very) extensive reading of the week, which you must do as part of your preparation for Writing Task 2.

Since it's a long text, don't forget to highlight (in your comments!) what you consider to be its main points, that is to say, the advice which might be of most use to you when writing your own essays.

As both a teacher and a writer, I particularly like the following:

• "There are no foolproof recipes for producing a quality assignment. Each student will employ an individual approach to essay writing; however, what follows is an outline of the fundamental steps involved in the essay writing process."

and

• "A clear understanding of what you are expected to do is crucial to writing a quality assignment. Make sure you understand what issue/problem has to be addressed. Analyse the wording of the question carefully to gain an understanding of what is being asked. There are three aspects of the question to consider: instructional/operational/directive/task words; content/information key words; delimiting words."

What about you? Which recommendations do you like the most? Bearing in mind "there are no foolproof recipes for producing a quality assignment", what approach to essay writing do you usually employ?

Have a nice Sunday!

P.S.: It's a semiformal article, not an academic essay, but have you read Bruno's text about life skills being taught at school yet? What's your viewpoint on the subject? Tell us!

P.P.S.: Thank you, Rodrigo, Mariane, for keeping posting such nice comments!

P.P.P.S.: As the number of signatures on the petition to save Balandra beach has increased from 14,204 to 14,211 since I myself signed it, I do believe some of you have done so as well - muchas gracias! ;)

Wirting Text 2 - Mac 2 -

Writing Text 2: Should life skills be taught at school?

It really depends on which skill and his real necessity in our daily, the school should taught these skills only if really needed, cookery for example would have no need to be taught on school, since we can learn by ourselves in our houses with the help of parents or with a cookery book.

The school should know too, when and how to teach these skills, you can`t, for example, teach sex education to kids on primary school! This should be focused on students of high-school at least. In racism awareness the teachers must take care to don’t promote a prejudice that, for example, Afro descent`s or Indians need protection or something to let them feel better. Drug and alcohol awareness is another which needs careless, this shouldn`t induce the students to want to know how they worked, only by curiosity, their dangers and side-effects should be taught and not only the "good effects".

Besides that, some skills are almost obviously why they should be teach in school, first aid is important to at least know what to do in an emergency, but even this should be taught with careless, maybe not by teachers, but by someone specialist in the subject, like nurses, fire-fighters or even doctors.

The best subjects to be taught should be the ones you won’t have interest in learn it on home. Economics it`s usually something the people, at least the kids or teenagers, that doesn`t pay attention in, so if doesn`t applied in school, maybe these students will even know why understand economy is important.

Bruno Akira

Lesson 13: Saving Balandra

'An idyllic place or experience is extremely pleasant, beautiful or peaceful.'
(Cambridge Dictionaries Online)

"Development of Balandra would surely have brought jobs: margaritas would have to be served, tour parties guided and pets pampered. But the people of La Paz have looked into that particular future and dared to choose another path. They have shown that it is possible to take on the inevitable - and win."

"Development of Balandra would surely have brought jobs: margaritas would have had to be served, tour parties guided and pets pampered (the tourist publication Baja Traveler magazine last year, without irony, printed a picture of a waistcoated Mexican smilingly massaging a blond spaniel). As in Acapulco or Cancún, air-conditioned boutiques would have sold trophy watches while wandering hawkers flogged hand-plaited wristbands. But the people of La Paz have looked into that particular future and dared to choose another path. They have shown that it is possible to take on the inevitable - and win."

'Grassroots campaign' at a shopping centre
(Would it be allowed here in Brazil?)

Hi there!

We were talking the other day about the difference in impact between a simplified version of a text and its original version, remember? Here are two questions that you could try to answer in your comments about the conclusion of today's article:

1. Why might it be said that, in this case, the shorter version of the paragraph 'sounds better' than the longer one? Which do you prefer? Why?

2. What information from the original paragraph is lost in the edited one? How important do you consider it? Why?

Also, have a look at the full article, as published in The Guardian, and find two more factors which could possibly explain the resistance to the creation of a resort on Balandra beach.

Finally, if you believe in the importance of such cause and in online activism, you can sign Colectivo Balandra's petition here. In the 'ANP' and 'Novedades' section of the page, you'll see that the place's still in danger (a 'protracted struggle', indeed!) - I reckon all help's welcome!

P.S.: Have you checked what's going on in the comment section of some of our blog posts yet? ;)