Grammar Nazis

Watch this video about a Grammar Nazi

One word, four syllables: Hilarious!!!

Right and Wrong Language?

Stephen Fry is the high priest of the English Language. He's a word wizard, a linguistic master, and a national treasure of England. He is inimitable, unmatchable, and quintessentially English. The pen falters, and the lexicon runs dry in attempting to describe the literary prowess of this polymath. His books, articles, films, documentaries, and TV shows have given me countless hours of amusement and delight.

Here’s a clip of Stephen Fry declaiming against overempahsis on grammar and inveighing against pedants of the English language.

“There is no right or wrong language, just as there are no right or wrong clothes” he says, “it all depends on context, convention, and circumstance.” How far do you agree?

Was this deliberate?

Watch this footballer crash into a female referee. Was it on purpose or an accident? Post your comments here.

Crazy things people do

Click on image to view video

Schools Kill Creativity

I posted this last year, but I'm posting it again for my new students. This could be the most important video of your life. The TED conference is dedicated to “ideas worth spreading.” Here, Sir Ken makes a witty, poignant, highly entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity.

 

He’s one of those rare speakers who is both funny and intelligent! It’s 15 min. or so long, but well worth it. Watch it and make your parents watch it as well.

Click here to view: TED

Totally like whatever, you know...

"I entreat you, I implore you, I exhort you,

I challenge you: To speak with conviction.

To say what you believe in a manner that bespeaks

the determination with which you believe it.

Because contrary to the wisdom of the bumper sticker,

it is not enough these days to simply QUESTION AUTHORITY.

You have to speak with it, too."

 

Click here to watch "Totally, like, whatever..." by Taylor Mali:

Click here to read the Lyrics

Bring on the learning revolution

"In this poignant, funny follow-up to his fabled 2006 talk, Sir Ken Robinson makes the case for a radical shift from standardized schools to personalized learning -- creating conditions where kids' natural talents can flourish."

Click here to view: TED

How do people walk on hot coal?

Ever wondered how people manage to walk on hot coal? Is it magic? Is it superhuman abilities? Watch Michael Shermer, editor of Skeptic Magazine, walk barefoot on hot coal without getting burnt and then gives his explanation of how people do it.

Click here to watch: Fire-walking

Orwell's "1984" and Political Systems

In preparation for our book club meeting, please come prepared to discuss what form of government you'd prefer. Familiarise yourself with the following terms: oligarchy, meritocracy, aristocracy, democracy, anarchy, communism, and monarchy.

Click here to get you started: Types of Government
(Don't believe everything you hear and see in this video - do your own research)

Orwell's "1984" and Government Power

In 1989, Chinese students staged a protest against the government in Tiananmen Square. The government sent in tanks to put down the protests and gunned down hundreds of students. Watch the video to see the bravery of an ordinary man (could easily have been Winston from 1984) who was on his way home from shopping. He put his life and his family's life at risk by stopping an entire convoy of tanks on his own. In preparation for our book club discussion, please inform yourself about what transpired at Tiananmen Square. Find out what happened to this man.

Click on the image to view the video.

Reasons to get an education

CNNN is a satirical Australian news network. Here they interview random people on the street. The questions are simple but the answers will make you gasp.

Extreme Scary Prank

In this video a Venezuelan TV crew play a prank on a lady in which she is scared almost to the point of having a seizure. Is it funny or is it unethical? Where do we draw the line as far as pranks are concerned?

Click on the image or here to view: Prank

MTV, Music, and Censorship

Many of you have asked to talk about music. We've been dicussing censorship as part of our argumentative writing. I've heard many students singing this song. So let's talk about MTV's decision to censor Lily Allen's hit single "Eff you." Except for the objectionable chorus the rest of her song makes a great point against racists and bigots. Do you agree with MTV's decision to censor the song? Are there any alternatives to wanton censorship? What do you think?

(I struggled to find this clean and censored version :)
Click here to view: Lily Allen

Mathemagic

Mathematician and magician Arthur Benjamin combines his two passions in a mind-boggling presentation of lightning calculations and other feats of mathematical agility.

Click on image or here to view: Mathemagic

Creativity and Education

Winchester Students,
You are ALL talented. Each one of you is unique and no matter who you are, you are talented at something and have something to offer. I’ve always believed this of my students. Which is why I ask you to please watch this video and let me know your thoughts.

Once again, we go back to the prestigious, invitation-only TED conference dedicated to “ideas worth spreading.” Here Sir Ken makes a highly entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity.

He’s one of those rare speakers who is both funny and intelligent! It’s 15 min. or so long, but well worth it. I look forward to reading what you think.

Click here to watch: TED

A borderless world?

Can we ever have a borderless world? How would it change the way we live?

Many people think the lines on the map no longer matter, but at the prestigious TED conference Parag Khanna says they do. Using maps of the past and present, he explains the root causes of border conflicts worldwide and proposes simple yet cunning solutions for each.

Watch the video clip here: The Future of Countries

Sand Art

This is special. I wish we'd spend more time creating instead of destroying. Kseniya Simonova, a Ukranian artist, creates an art narrative set during the Patriotic Russian War and the II WW.

Top Ten Scary Plane Landings

If you can take another flight after watching these plane landings then you're one tough cookie!

Click on the image or here to view: Crazy Landings!

Phantoms in the Brain

The human brain is a three pound mass of protoplasm that can contemplate such things as eternity. It can even contemplate itself contemplating eternity. But what happens when people sustain damage to specific parts of the brain? – Some hear colours, others can’t recognise faces, and others still have phantom pain in amputated limbs.

The prestigious and invitation-only TED (Technology Entertainment Design) conference is devoted to ideas worth spreading. In this video clip the eminent neurologist, V S Ramachandran gets a standing ovation as he holds his audience spellbound with fascinating examples of the brain's delusions. If you are interested in learning about the mind and the human brain this video clip is something you must make time for.

Click here to view: TED

Two Reasons to Learn English

Don't you feel sorry for the poor girl? That's logorhoea (verbal diarrhoea) at its worst. Does anyone at Winchester suffer from it? I wonder : )