Especially for Science Students: The Hadron Collider

Hadron Collider breakthrough as beams collide
(CNN) -- Scientists at the Large Hadron Collider managed to make two proton beams collide at high energy Tuesday, marking a "new territory" in physics, according to CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research.
The $10 billion research tool has been accelerating the beams since November in the LHC's 17-mile tunnel on the border of Switzerland and France.
The beams have routinely been circulating at 3.5 TeV, or teraelectron volts, the highest energy achieved at the LHC so far, according to CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research.
Experiments at the LHC may help answer fundamental questions...The collider may help scientists discover new properties of nature...
Sutton compared the experiments to Christopher Columbus sailing for the New World in 1492, when he knew what he was looking for but didn't know what he might find.
proton beams = rayos de protonescollide = colisionar
high energy =alta energíaresearch tool = herramienta de investigaciónachieve = lograr, alcanzar

Moscow subway attacks

Female suicide bombers detonated explosions that rocked two subway stations in central Moscow during rush hour Monday morning, killing at least 38 people, officials said.
Moscow, Russia (CNN) -- Russian investigators combing two subway stations attacked by female suicide bombers think Chechen rebels may have been behind the rush-hour strike that killed dozens of people.
"Our preliminary assessment is that this act of terror was committed by a terrorist group from the North Caucasus region," Alexander Bortnikov of the Federal Security Service said of the investigation at one of the blast sites...
...Millions of commuters use the Moscow metro system every day. An estimated 500,000 people were riding trains throughout the capital at the time of the attacks. It was unclear when the system would return to normal service, and the incident generated fear among commuters.
London, England (CNN) -- Monday's bomb attacks on the Moscow subway bear the hallmarks of an operation carried out by female Chechen suicide bombers called "Black Widows," according to security analysts.
At least 38 people were killed by twin explosions at the height of the rush hour in what appears to be Chechen separatists' latest salvo in their long-running battle for independence in Russia's northern Caucasus.
Chechens, the majority of whom are Sunni Muslims, regard the region as their ancient homeland, while Moscow fears the creation of an independent Muslim-majority state in its midst and has refused to grant any real autonomy.
The struggle can be traced back to the Stalin era when hundreds of thousands of Chechens were forcibly displaced to Siberia, according to Bob Ayers, a retired international security analyst.
rush hour = hora puntapreliminary assessment = evaluación preliminar
commuter =[kə'mjʊ:təʳ] persona que viaja diariamente al lugar de trabajoblast sites = el lugar de la explosión
hallmarks = sello distintivo
to grant = conceder, otorgar struggle = luchaforcibly displaced = desplazados por la fuerza

Welcome Aboard!

Can you sing along?
Learn some TRAVEL VOCABULARY with the Rapping Flight Attendant
A flight attendant raps about the things passengers need to know when aboard a plane.

This is the Flight 372 on SWA.

The flight attendants onboard serving you today,

Theresa in the middle, David in the back,

My name is David and I’m here to tell you that…

Shortly after takeoff, first things first,

There are soft drinks and coffee to quench your thirst,

But if you want another kind of drink, then just holler,

Alcoholic beverages, that’ll be four dollars.

If a Monster Energy drink is your plan,

That’ll be three dollars and you get the whole can.

We won’t take your cash; you gotta pay with plastic,

If you have a coupon, then that’s fantastic.

We know you’re ready to get to new places.

Open up the bins, put away your suitcases.

Carry-on items go under the seat,

In front of you, so none of you have things by your feet.

If you have a seat on a row with the exit,

We’re gonna talk to you, so you might as well expect it,

You gotta help evacuate in case we need you,

If you don’t wanna, then we’re gonna reseat you.

Before we leave, our advice is put away your electronic devices.

Fasten your seatbelt, then put your trays up,

Press the button to make the seatback raise up.

Sit back, relax, have a good time,

It’s almost time to go so I’m done with the rhyme.

Thank you for the fact that I wasn’t ignored.

This is Southwest Airlines, welcome aboard!

flight attendants = auxiliar de vuelo ....... holler = gritar............................................................. reseat = recolocar (volver a sentar)
onboard = a bordo.....................................alcoholic beverages = bebidas alcohólicas ......... electronic devices = aparato o dispositivo electrónico
takeoff = despegue ...................................bin = contenedor, compartimento ..........................fasten your seatbelt = abrochar el cinturón de seguridad
first things first = lo más importante
..............................primero ............... ... .. suitcase = maleta....................................................... tray = bandeja
soft drinks = bebida sin alcohol............. carry-on items = equipaje (artículo) de mano ..... seatback = respaldo
quench = saciar ....................................... row = fila ( de asientos) ............................................ welcome aboard! = bienvenidos a bordo!
thirst = sed.................................... exit = salida

........And... if you want a BETTER PRACTICE on this video, go to English Central

.................And...MORE on TRAVEL VOCABULARY: Try this CROSSWORD (difficult)

Best Humour, have fun!!

Freddie Frinton: "Dinner for one"
"The same procedure as every year, James..."

The Way of St. James

The Way of St James has existed for over a thousand years. It was one of the most important Christian pilgrimages during medieval times, and a pilgrimage route on which a plenary indulgence could be earned.
(Galician: O Camiño de Santiago, Spanish: El Camino de Santiago, French: Chemin de St-Jacques, German: Jakobsweg)
The most popular route is the French Way or Camino Francés, cities in Spain situated along this route are Pamplona and Burgos. Another popular route is the 227 km long Portuguese Way, , which starts at Se Catedral in the city of Porto in the north of Portugal. Many pilgrims prefer to start closer to the Spanish border at Valença, Portugal, and Tui, Galicia, for a five-day, 108 km walk.

Whenever St James's day (25 July) falls on a Sunday, the cathedral declares a Holy or Jubilee. The most recent were 1982, 1993, 1999 and 2004. The next Holy Years will be 2021, 2027 and 2032
A Guarda receives the Jacobean 2010 with special interest. For the first time our village appears in the Jacobean routes formally recognized by the Galician regional government as part of the Portuguese Coast Way .
Last Saturday 13th March, 160 people walked the stage 0 (Viana – Caminha) of this Way, a pilgrimage organized by the council.

pilgrimage route = ruta de peregrinación
pilgrim = peregrino
closer to = más cerca de
indulgence = indulgencia
stage = etapa

bird's-eye view

Church signs

Most churches and other houses of worship have a sign out front where they can share news and get their message out. And over the years, those messages have become increasingly eye-catching, offbeat, or controversial. They’ve inspired blogs, grabbed headlines and created tension.

Have you been paying attention to the news?

Take the CNN Challenge and put your news knowledge to the test: Link to the Quiz

oscars 2010 highlights

And the Oscar goes to... link to the winners

Test your Vocabulary

March vocabulary - Blog CROSSWORD

MARCH! Spring is coming!

The word 'March' comes from the Roman 'Martius'. This was originally the first month of the Roman calendar and was named after Mars, the god of war.

The Anglo-Saxons called the month Hlyd monath which means stormy month, or Hraed monath which means rugged month.

Traditional games played in March: marbles and skipping
The game of marbles has been played for hundreds of years and some historians say that it might have been started by rolling eggs. In the past, round stones, hazelnuts, round balls of baked clay and even cherry stones have been used.i
One of the flowers most associated with March is the narcissus (Wild daffodil). Named after the boy in Greek mythology, who was changed into a flower. Narcissus is also known as Lent Lily because it blooms in early spring and the blooms usually dropping before Easter.

The daffodil became a popular Welsh symbol in the 19th Century.

In England the daffodil inspired amongst others William Wordsworth (English poet) to write his famous poem "Daffodils."

............................................I WANDER'D lonely as a cloud
......................................................That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
.......................................................When all at once I saw a crowd,
.......................................................A host, of golden daffodils;
.......................................................Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
.......................................................Fluttering and dancing in the breeze...

..........................................................And then my heart with pleasure fills,
.....................................................And dances with the daffodils.

....................................................................By William Wordsworth (1770-1850).

Weather-lore, beliefs and sayings:

'When March comes in like a lion it goes out like a lamb.'

.........................................................'A dry March and a wet May
........................................................Fill barns and bays with corn and hay.'

.......................................'As it rains in March so it rains in June.'

'March winds and April showers
Bring forth May flowers.'