April '09 Newsletter (1)
 
Hello to everyone Out There
 
I hope that your April has blossomed along with the spring daffodils and the consensus of the G20 leaders to borrow $1tn from each and everyone us against our future tax payments. What happens if we all go on strike? :-)
 
Listen to, see and read Arthur Scargill's speech from the G20 rally in Trafalgar Square on Wednesday 1st April
The original source of spam? We got spammed this week!
Methodology, methodschmology - teaching your mouth to make the right sounds
Wordy gag fest (joke)
 
I was in the centre of town (London) on Wednesday lunchtime after a meeting with a publisher who is interested in what we are doing (especially in light of the Pearson/Livemocha.com deal announced last week and our hook up with Italki.com).
 
I had my digital recording device with me and wandered into Trafalgar Square just as the 'Yes we can' G20 demonstrators were entering the square for a rally and some speeches.
 
Arthur Scargill, former leader of the National Union of Miners is a famous, even in-famous political character and a renowned public speaker. I was interested to see him speak live (he's getting on a bit) and also hear what he had to say.
 
The media didn't cover this event very well because there was a fight going on outside the Bank of England at the same time, or they just didn't think it was newsworthy.
 
Judge for yourselves. 
 
I have written his words down so you can use them for a listening comprehension/discussion and you can download the MP3. I have also added the Youtube video of the exact piece I recorded and you can watch his face in close-up as he speaks to the crowd.
 
http://www.languagesoutthere.com/articles/Scargill-G20-speech-English-listening-comprehension
 
I spent most of yesterday removing spam from the comment boxes of the free articles on the website. A repetitive and initially annoying job turned into a meditative and thought provoking exercise. Sorry, freedom of speech has been the loser, only members can comment now. How metaphorical is that?
 
I am reading a book called 'The pursuit of oblivion - a global history of narcotics 1500-2000' written by Richard Davenport-Hines. Most of the spam was from the bogus online drug barons. I was going to ask you what a list of pills I'd not heard of did but my spammometer on this newsletter software advised me against it! I know what V**gra and D*azep*m can accomplish (I just took the others out and the spammometer went down to zero from 6.1, what if I add..'Acomplia and Klonopin', can anyone tell me what they do?..Wow, just those two pushed it to 3.7 but I'm okay under 5.0 it tells me ;-). They also seem to bundle illicit fags with their pill pushing spam sessions. Which brings me to the link with the book I mentioned just now.
 
The start of the global 'war on drugs' began in San Francisco in the 1870's and took off in the early 20th century fuelled by the religious right-wing. The author states, with some credibility and evidence, that 'criminals were provided with a new commodity in which to deal'. I met a bloke on the train back from London who is an internet and security expert.  He says the spammers are sophisticated international criminal networks. Having said all of that, my web-hosting company told me it was infact a good sign that the spammers had found our site as it means it is increasingly visible on the internet!
 
Twitter pointed me in the direction of a website and some materials that were apparently presented at IATEFL in Cardiff. 
 
It seems the science of speaking is entering the TEFL arena. Excellent.
 
I couldn't be there to see the presentation unfortunately, but had a look at the website and then wrote an email to someone I have had discussions with on the subject of methodology recently:
 
http://www.languagesoutthere.com/articles/IATEFL-tweet-about-speaking-English-methodology
 
Still happy to hear from you freelance teachers in London, express yourselves and throw off the chains of servitude:
 
http://jasonpwest.googlepages.com/home
 
We will have an educational agency running the office, what fun, and they will be happy to sell courses for you and your fledgling enterprise!
 
Join for free:
 
http://www.meetup.com/London-English-Out-There-EFL-ESL-teachers-group/
 
New EOT London course details are on the site now:
 
http://www.languagesoutthere.com/categories/london-english-courses
 
There are also 10 teachers' lesson plans at each level available for individual download for just Ł1 each at ("Yeah, we're still trying to sell 'em but according to someone who should know, it could catch on"):
 
http://www.languagesoutthere.com/store/
 
Wordy gag fest
 
Two antennae meet on a roof, fall in love and
decide to get married. The service wasn't up
to much, but the reception was excellent.
 
Until next time...when I might have news of a 'punch-up' I am organising for LOT with the UK government which relates to the recent immigration changes.
 
Cheers
Jason