The English Blog

Cartoon: You Can't Always Get What You Want

In this cartoon from The Independent, Schrank uses The Rolling Stones' appearance at the Glastonbury Festival to comment on the UK government's latest Spending Review.

UK Chancellor George Osborne (on guitar) and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander (on tambourine) are shown on a tiny makeshift stage playing one of the Stones' best known songs "You Can't Always Get What You Want" to a handful of people standing in the mud. The Stones themselves can be seen in the background playing on the Pyramid Stage (Mick Jagger's face is clearly visible on the big screen).

EXPLANATION
In his Spending Review, Osborne announced sweeping cuts to benefits, which will hit the sort of people who make up his audience in the cartoon: the unemployed, pensioners and children. The title of the song is therefore very appropriate.

NOTES
1. The Other Other Stage is a reference to the Other Stage, one of the main music stages at Glastonbury.
2. Mud and Glastonbury go together like fish and chips, which is why Osborne and Alexander are wearing wellington boots (aka wellies). 

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Reuters Video: The world's most expensive bed is fit for a king

At $175 thousand (USD), the world's most expensive bed, Savoir's ''Royal State Bed'', is perfect for the rich and sleepy. Elly Park reports.

TRANSCRIPT
REPORTER It's called the "Royal State Bed," and at $175 thousand dollars (USD) the price tag is definitely king sized. A creation of British bespoke luxury mattress maker Savoir, its managing director Alistair Hughes says the world's most expensive bed is worth every single penny of its hefty price tag.
ALISTAIR HUGHES, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF SAVOIR BEDS: "Now it takes close to 700 hours to build. There's an amazing amount of skilled craftsmanship that goes into that from the crest on top, which literally takes 70 hours by the same people that did Kate Middleton's wedding dress at the Royal School of Needlework in Hampton Court through to the craftsmanship that goes into the box spring, the mattress, the silk work, and sewing."
REPORTER: Only 60 of these decadent beds will be made, honoring the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth. Each will be handcrafted by one craftsman, designed to fit the precise specifications of each client. The Royal State Bed's mattress and box spring will be stuffed with Mongolian cashmere wool and blond horse tail hair from Latin American horses, adding to its best feature - comfort.
ALISTAIR HUGHES, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF SAVOIR BEDS: "We don't want you to feel the bed we want you to feel like you're floating on a cloud, right. We want you to have the perfect support, no pressure points, nothing coming up into you too much."
REPORTER: And a good night sleep like that ... is absolutely priceless.  

IDIOMS
1. If something is fit for a king, it is of the very highest quality or standard. 
2. King-sized means larger or longer than the usual or standard size. A king-sized bed is a very large double bed, usually the biggest size that is available.

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Words in the News: A&E

Sick patients have been forced to wait up to eight hours in ambulances queuing outside Accident & Emergency units amid a crisis in the system, reveals The Sunday Telegraph. Full story >>

VOCABULARY
In Britain, A&E is the part of a hospital that deals with accidents and emergencies. A&E is an abbreviation for `accident and emergency'. • Patient numbers at New Cross Hospital's A&E are set to soar by 50 per cent in the next decade.

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Cartoon: Privacy Double Standard

© Chappatte in "NZZ am Sonntag" (Zurich)

This cartoon by Chappatte from NZZ am Sonntag relates to the ongoing controversy over US and British spying programmes. 

The scene is an underground train. A man is complaining to someone on his mobile phone that "the government is listening to our conversations". The joke is that his "private" conversation can be overheard by all the other passengers. The message seems to be that we have double standards when it comes to the question of privacy. As this article in Time points out, we're upset about the government tracking our communications, but we willingly hand over much more sensitive information to a handful of huge corporations.

VOCABULARY
1. If you describe something as outrageous, you are emphasizing that it is unacceptable or very shocking. • Charges for local telephone calls are particularly outrageous.
2. A double standard is a rule or principle that is unfairly applied in different ways to different people or groups. • China has censured the United States for its double standards in the area of cyber security, amid revelations about the US cyber espionage.

ALSO SEE
• German minister challenges Britain over spying program (Yahoo! News)
• New Info On NSA Email Surveillance, Plus Other Spying And Privacy News (SiliconBeat)
• Our Double Standard of Privacy (Time) 

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Reuters Video: Samoan airline goes large

Samoa Air which charges passengers by their weight launches an extra-large seat service for the fuller figure. Paul Chapman reports.

TRANSCRIPT
REPORTER: Samoa Air claimed a world first last year when it started charging its passengers by their body weight. Now it's launching an extra-large seating class for those over 130 kilogrammes. In a country where almost 60 per cent of the population is considered obese Samoa Air boss Chris Langton says it makes sense.
CHRIS LANGTON, SAMOA AIR CHIEF EXECUTIVE: "We've actually taken out a complete row of seats and replaced it so that there is much more leg room for the passenger. There's no arm rest."
REPORTER: Passengers pay just over a dollar thirty per kilogramme for domestic flights. And it seems passengers are getting used to hopping on the scales at check-in.
UNIDENTIFIED SAMOAN AIR PASSENGER: "It felt crazy when I heard about it...jump on the scales. I was like, what? Jump on the scales? But it's all good, it's not that bad."
REPORTER: Pacific Islands nations have some of the world's highest levels of obesity. The World Health Organisation ranks Samoa at number four for expanding waistlines.

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Words in the News: Profiteer

The Daily Mail carries a story that seven water companies in Britain have used a legal loophole to avoid paying £1bn in tax. Full story >>

VOCABULARY
If you describe someone as a profiteer, you are critical of them because they make large profits by charging high prices for goods that are hard to get. • Bulletproof vest maker David H. Brooks' reign as America's most ostentatious war profiteer does appear to be over.

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Cartoon: Osborne's Yummy Kebab

This cartoon by Paul Thomas from The Daily Express relates to the ongoing controversy over UK Chancellor George Osborne's gourmet burger (see yesterday's Words in the News for more on this).

Osborne is shown in ordering a kebab in a kebab shop. One of the other customers comments, "Osborne's trying to get us to forget his posh burger ..."

EXPLANATION
The joke relies on the fact that (in the UK at least) kebabs are considered to be even lower than burgers on the food quality scale.

VOCABULARY
1. Yummy is an informal expression used to indicate that something is good to eat. • That chocolate cake looks very yummy.
2. If you describe something as posh, you mean that it is smart, fashionable, and expensive. • To celebrate my promotion, I took her to a posh hotel for a cocktail.

GRAMMAR
If you get someone to do something, you persuade or convince them to do it. • During a cross-country trip with my dad, I got him to talk about the war.

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Reuters Video: EU seeks jobs for lost generation

After Europe clinched two significant deals on banking and their long-term budget, EU leaders are meeting in Brussels, with unemployment top of the agenda. Joanna Partridge asks whether they have the tools at their disposal to make any difference.

TRANSCRIPT
REPORTER: Lisbon grinds to a halt. In Portugal's fourth general strike in two years, public transport stopped and people took to the streets. They blame the government's cuts and tax hikes for an economic slump and record unemployment.
RICARDO SILVA, MEMBER OF "PRECARIOUS AND UNFLEXIBLE" SOCIAL MOVEMENT: "We're demanding a different policy in our national politics, not only at the national level but also internationally, and an end to the belief that austerity is the only way."
REPORTER: Unemployment is also on EU leaders' minds in Brussels - almost one in four under 25s are out of work. It's a concern for Angela Merkel even though German unemployment has fallen close to its lowest level in 20 years.
GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL: "There's no getting away from it, we have to do more to help young people enter working life. We have to give them chances for the future, because they are our future. We owe that to the young people of Europe and especially so because the youth aren't in any way responsible for the failings which occurred in the past few years."
REPORTER: The leaders started their meeting on a high after European officials mananged to strike two significant deals - on banking and their long-term budget. That left boosting unemployment and all-too-elusive growth as the main topics. Francois Hollande is French President.
FRENCH PRESIDENT FRANCOIS HOLLANDE: "When there's growth, youth employment and control of finance, France is satisfied."
REPORTER: This is the last leaders' summit before Germans go to the polls in September - a key date in Europe's political calendar. Major disagreements aren't expected. They're all in favour of tackling joblessness - regarded by many as the worst legacy of the crisis. From 2014 they've allocated a billion euros a year to ensuring under 25s get either a job, training or an apprenticeship within 4 months of leaving education or work. But without more concrete measures to create jobs many young people in countries like Portugal will continue to look abroad to avoid becoming part of the "lost generation."

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Words in the News: Ration

The Daily Mail reports that Britain could face a return to Seventies-style power rationing to prevent blackouts. The disturbing news came amid warnings that the country may not be producing enough energy to keep the lights on by 2015. Full story >>

VOCABULARY
When something is rationed by a person or government, you are only allowed to have a limited amount of it, usually because there is not enough of it. • During WW2, staples such as bread, rice and tea were routinely rationed.

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Cartoon: The Great Wind Turbine Blight

Cartoon: Winter Fuel Allowance Stopped

BACKGROUND
UK Chancellor George Osborne unveiled a “temperature test” yesterday which restricts elderly Britons living in warmer climates from claiming the winter fuel allowance – worth up to £300 a year. The Chancellor confirmed in his spending review that there will be a crack down on so-called "sunshine benefits" after the next election. British pensioners residing in European countries will lose winter fuel payments if they live in a region where there is a higher average winter temperature than the warmest region of the UK. According to the latest statistics some 33,815 pensioners resident in Spain get the payment, even though temperatures there can reach 63F (17C) in December and January.In France there are 18,155 recipients, many in the south where winter temperatures are often 57F (14C).The move would save around £30million a year from 2015/16 when it is expected to come into force. Full story >>

THE CARTOON
The cartoon by Paul Thomas from The Daily Express shows an expat couple sipping champagne on their motorboat in some sunny exotic location. The man tells his wife, "Outrageous! Osborne's stopped the winter fuel allowance for us expats!" The joke is, of course, that they certainly don't need the allowance because a) they're obviously very rich, and b) it's not cold in winter where they are living.

VOCABULARY
1. Expat is an abbreviation for expatriate, someone who is living in a country which is not their own. • It is absolutely essential for expats to get some form of medical health care if they are considering or currently living in France. 
2. If you describe something as outrageous, you are emphasizing that it is unacceptable or very shocking. • I must apologise for my outrageous behaviour. 
3. Fuel is a substance such as coal, oil, or petrol that is burned to provide heat or power. 

ALSO SEE
• Matt cartoon (Daily Telegraph) 
• Mac cartoon (Daily Mail) 

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Reuters Video: An art installation that defies gravity

A street in East London goes topsy-turvy after an Argentine artist creates the illusion of a 3D house. Sharon Reich reports.

TRANSCRIPT
REPORTER: We all know looks can be deceiving. While it appears that people are literally climbing the walls of this East London townhouse - it's in fact an optical illusion created by Argentinian artist Leandro Erlich. The installation called Dalston House was designed on a plot of land in Hackney that has been largely vacant since the Second World War.
ARGENTINIAN ARTIST LEANDRO ERLICH: "It consists of a typical Victorian façade. It is quite strange because there is this huge mirror that reflects the facade, giving the appearance of being vertical and allowing people to stroll in this very unusual and quite surreal experience."
REPORTER: And that last bit Erlich points out, is what makes this work of art unique. Its fun and playful nature means that visitors are actually needed for it to function properly.
SUZIE ZUMPE, INSTALLATION VISITOR: "We saw pictures in the paper yesterday and Albert, Spider-man here, thought it would be good to come suited up this morning before nursery, so that's been our plan."
REPORTER: Dalston House will be open to the public until August 4th.

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Words in the News: Shamburger

The Sun says a picture of UK Chancellor George Osborne tucking into a humble burger and fries on the eve of his Spending Review speech backfired - after it emerged it was from a high-end restaurant and cost nearly £10. Full story >>

VOCABULARY
Shamburger is a made-up portmanteau word combining "sham" + "hamburger". If you describe something as a sham, you mean that it is not real or is not really what it seems to be. • George Osborne’s plans were labelled a sham as it emerged that despite a new clampdown on jobless benefits claimants, the overall welfare bill will go UP. Read more >>

ALSO SEE
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Google Reader: Important Information

Google Reader will be 'retired' on July 1st 2013. If, like me, you use Reader to keep up with what's happening on your favourite websites (The English Blog, perhaps?), you may be wondering what to do about it. The good news is that there are a number of alternatives. The general consensus seems to be that Feedly, which has a 'one-click Google Reader import' function, is the best of the bunch, but there are other options. The following articles explain all this a lot better than I could, so why not check them out?

• AOL Reader Launches as Google Reader Checks Out (Mashable)
• The Race to Replace Google Reader (ReadWrite)
• There Is No Google Reader Replacement, Only Alternatives (TechCrunch)
• Life after Google Reader: GigaOM’s guide to the best options (GigaOM)
• Get Organized: How to Migrate Off Google Reader (PCMag)
• Why Google Reader Really Got The Axe (Wired.com)

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Cartoon: Doctors Say No To Tesco-Style NHS

BACKGROUND
Doctors have angrily rejected as “a folly” government plans for hospitals to carry out routine work seven days a week - saying the NHS is not Tesco. Full story >>

THE CARTOON
The cartoon by Mac from The Daily Mail shows what we assume to be a doctor pushing a shopping trolley into a Tesco supermarket. A sign reads, "Sorry. Tesco will no longer be serving doctors at weekends."

VOCABULARY
1. NHS is an abbreviation for National Health Service, England's publicly funded healthcare system. 
2. A shopping trolley is a large metal basket on wheels which is provided by shops such as supermarkets for customers to use while they are in the shop. In American English, they say shopping cart.

GRAMMAR
The future progressive tense is used for an on-going action that will occur in the future. •The Moscow State Circus will be performing in Cheltenham for the next 3 weeks. You can also have a negative version. • The Moscow State Circus will not be performing in Cheltenham for the next 3 weeks. Read more at www.grammar-monster.com.

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Reuters Video: Where's Snowden?

Wanted U.S. contractor Edward Snowden did not show up for a flight from Russia to Cuba, as Washington exerts further pressure on Russia for his extradition. Jessica Gray reports. 

TRANSCRIPT
REPORTER: An Aeroflot flight landed in Cuba on Monday, without a former security contractor who leaked details of widespread U.S. surveillance programs. 
AEROFLOT PILOT: "No special passengers, no, no, nobody only journalists on board (laughs)."
REPORTER: Snowden announced the leaks via video from Hong Kong, before flying to a Moscow airport following U.S. demands for his extradition on espionage charges. Sources suggested he was set to fly to Cuba and then possibly Ecuador in an attempt to seek asylum. But the seat allegedly reserved for him remained empty. Snowden's current whereabouts are a mystery, although some suspect he is still in international transit at Moscow airport, The U.S. has poured diplomatic pressure on Russia to hand him over. But on Tuesday Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Snowden was not on Russian soil and rejected Washington's move. "He independently chose his route, and we learned as did everyone else from the media," said the minister. "He did not cross the Russian border", he added, saying comments suggesting otherwise were totally unfounded and unacceptable. Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, who has been aiding Snowden, said the 30-year-old had fled to Moscow en route to Ecuador and is in a safe place. Snowden may also have a refugee document of passage from Ecuador.

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