English in Madrid

Source: Wikipedia   Here is the goal that most Scots celebrated, much like the Argentine commentator. What other goals do you consider memorable and why?

Source: Jack Hunter en Unsplash Maradona off to a winning start as Argentina beat Scotland 1-0 Maxi Rodrigez scored after eight minutes to mark Diego Maradona's debut as Argentina head coach with a 1-0 victory at Scotland in a friendly on Wednesday. Back at Hampden Park where Maradona, an 18-year-old then, scored his first international goal in a 3-1 win over the Scots in1979, the controversial star made another winning start -- to his reign over the national team this time. The football legend looked happy when the whistle announced his first victory in charge and hugged the entire team as they walked off the pitch to the spectators' ovation. Rodriguez gave the visitors the early lead at the end of a superb passing move involving Carlos Tevez and Jonas Gutierrez. Scotland seemed overrun in the first 30 minutes and were unable to find a way past a resolute Argentina defence despite a better second half . Argentina, fading after the break, also could no...

Source: You Tube (Superplatanoman)  Key words: palin prank call Masked Avengers: Ah, yeah, Gov. Palin. Palin: Hello. Avengers: Just hold on for President Sarkozy, one moment. P: Oh, it's not him yet, they're saying. I always do that. A: Yes, hello, Gov. Palin P: Hello, this is Sarah, how are you? A: Fine, and you? This is Nicolas Sarkozy speaking, how are you? P: Oh, it's so good to hear you. Thank you for calling us. A: Oh, it's a pleasure. P: Thank you sir, we have such great respect for you, John McCain and I. We love you and thank you for taking a few minutes to talk to me. A: I follow your campaigns closely with my special American adviser Johnny Hallyday, you know? P: Yes, good. A: Excellent. Are you confident ? P: Very confident and we're thankful that polls are showing that the race is tightening and... A: Well I know very well that the campaign can be exhausting. How do you feel right now, my dear? P: I feel so goo...

Source: Wikipedia (The Official White House Photostream   Silvio Berlusconi in racism row over ‘suntanned’ Barack Obama aside Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's gaffe-prone Prime Minister, today found himself accused of racism after call ing Barack Obama " suntanned ". Speaking in Moscow at a joint news conference with President Medvedev, Mr Berlusconi said Mr Obama's election had been " hailed by world public opinion as the arrival of a Messiah". He added: "I will try to help relations between Russia and the United States, where a new generation has come to power . I don't see problems for Medvedev in establishing good relations with Obama, who is also handsome, young and suntanned". Mr Berlusconi said he had intended the remark as a compliment and those who failed to understand this were "imbeciles". Earlier Mr Berlusconi, 72, had said he would be in a position to offer Mr Obama advice on politics because of his age and...

  Source: You Tube (C-SPAN )   Key words: Obama victory speech 2008 If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer. It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference. It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled – Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of Red States and Blue States: we are, and always will be, the United States of America. It's the answer that l...

Source:  Element5 Digital en Unsplash Obama hails the 106-year-old black woman who symbolises the spirit of his triumph Barack Obama highlighted the life of 106-year-old black voter Ann Nixon Cooper as capturing the spirit of his election triumph. 'She was born just a generation past slavery , a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky, when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons - because she was a woman and because of the colour of her skin,' he said. 'And tonight, I think about all that she’s seen throughout her century in America - the heartache and the hope, the struggle  and the progress, the times we were told that we can’t, and the people who pressed on with that American creed : "Yes we can."' Mrs Cooper has seen 18 presidents come and go and outlived most of them, but, like all black Americans, she had to wait until 1965 to gain the right to vote - when she was 63. Born Ann Louise Nixon on January 9 1902 ...

Source: Charge The Globe on Unsplash   Antonio, this ties in with the text that you read for today's class. I remember being surprised when reading it at the time; as I wouldn't expect a country with the track record of Spain to produce a law supporting animal rights. Apes get legal rights in Spain, to surprise of bullfight critics Spain is to become the first country to extend legal rights to apes, wrongfooting animal rights activists who have long campaigned against bullfighting in the country. In what is thought to be the first time a national legislature has granted such rights to animals, the Spanish parliament’s environmental committee voted to approve resolutions committing the country to the Great Apes Project, designed by scientists and philosophers who say that humans’ closest biological relatives also deserve  rights. The resolution, adopted with crossparty support, calls on the Government to promote the Great Apes Project internationally and ensure ...