News & Game: Angry Bird on iPhone and PC

Image from Digital Trends

Yeah, normally, we talk about things that can help you learn English, but Angry Birds is such a big hit! The game has recently won two big awards at the annual Global Mobile Awards 2011 -- the "App of the Year on the Apple Platform" and the "Best Mobile App" awards. And I dare say, virtually every owner of iPhone in Hong Kong has some of these birds in it.

According to Ewalt @ Forbes, "Finland-based game developer Rovio Mobile has sold over 12 million downloads of the software since it debuted in December 2009 on Apple’s app store." Now, that is a lot of money!

And of course, the game doesn't stop there, there will be a lot more to offer, say toys?

Image from Forbes

Interesting enough, there is a story behind the design of this game. According to Wikipedia, "At the time, the "swine flu" epidemic was in the news, so the staff made the birds' enemies pigs." So H1N1 was not only a killer disease after all -- The World Health Organisation (WHO) has definitely "cast pearls before swine".

Image from limfy.com

Although I don't have an iPhone, the fun doesn't stop there. I happen to have discovered a full PC version of Angry Birds for Windows 7 and it is free! I've been practising for awhile but I'm really bad at it. Maybe you can do better, but do not spend all the time playing and forget about learning English!

Happy learning! (and gaming)

Down Angry Birds PC version for Windows 7 at the link given on iReclusive
http://ireclusive.blogspot.com/2011/01/angry-bird-pc-version.html

There is also a Valentine's Day Edition on iPhone, have you bought it yet?

Image from Mashable

Vocabulary:
virtually -- (adv) almost
epidemic -- (n) [C] the appearance of a particular disease in a large number of people at the same time
"To cast pearls before swine" -- To give things of value to those who will not understand or appreciate it.


Resources:

Global Mobile Awards 2011
http://www.globalmobileawards.com/awards/winners_2011.htm

iPhone 4 and Angry Birds win big at Mobile World Congress
http://www.tecca.com/news/2011/02/17/iphone-4-and-angry-birds-win-big-at-mobile-world-congress/

Angry Birds PC version for Windows 7
http://ireclusive.blogspot.com/2011/01/angry-bird-pc-version.html

Angry Birds Official Website
http://www.rovio.com/index.php?page=angry-birds

Angry Birds Cinematic Trailer @ YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Bk_nqUQ0fc&feature=player_embedded

Angry Birds In-game Trailer @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNNzRyd1xz0&feature=player_embedded

Angry Birds, Happy Toymakers @ Forbes
http://blogs.forbes.com/davidewalt/2011/02/17/angry-birds-happy-toymakers/

Angry Birds @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angry_birds#Development

Interview: Rovio on the origin of Angry Birds, being inspired by swine flu, and why you may never see an Angry Birds 2 @ Pocket Gamer
http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Various/Angry+Birds/news.asp?c=24243

Vocabulary: Swine & Scapegoat  @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2009/04/vocabulary-swine-scapegoat.html

Angry Birds Gets Facebook-Infused Valentine’s Day Edition @ Mashable
http://mashable.com/2011/02/07/angry-birds-valentines-day/

Angry Birds Peace Treaty @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMltvlqEM54

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/virtually
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/epidemic_1
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cast_pearls_before_swine

News & Idiom: Repent and be saved; there is justice in heaven and Earth

From "(an empress and ) a eunuch", to "Overbite Ton(y)", to "Piggy Daddy" and now someone who needs to "Turn back and the shore is at hand" (repent and be saved), Tony Chan, who has twice contributed to the proof that "there is justice in heaven and Earth", has definitely provided a lot of nice quotes for the press. Entertaining as much as it could possibly be, what are these Chinese proverbs equivalence in English?

Jubilant Chinachem Charitable Foundation chairman Kung Yan-sum
Image fromThe Standard

Interestingly, there are many similarities between English and Chinese in terms of meanings of expressions.

Last year, Greenpeace International wrote a blog entry to warn the danger of Iran's Bushehr nuclear reactor, titling "Iran’s Bushehr nuclear reactor: it’s not too late to turn back".

Randa Mirza, a crew member from Lebanon,
watches the Rainbow Warrior sailing 20 miles from the port of Bushehr, Iran in 2007.
Image from Greenpeace

"It's not too late to turn back" is not exactly an idiom in English, but it matches the meaning of "Repent and be saved" and it is common enough in many TV programs or movies.

Now, how about "there is justice in heaven and Earth" equivalent? Well, there is another common idiomatic expression in popular cultures, and that is "Justice will prevail".

L. in famous Japanese Manga Death Note
Image from Wikipedia

Prevail means to get control, or to be more powerful than something else. If justice will prevail, then justice will eventually win, so the good people will win and bad people will lose.

I'm a little surprise that The Standard did not try harder to dig up these expression and decided to use their own translations. Well, doesn't matter, you can learn that from our English Playground.


Vocabulary:
It's not too late to turn back -- "Turn back and the shore is at hand" in Chinese, or "repent and be saved"
Justice will prevail -- "there is justice in heaven and Earth" in Chinese
prevail -- (vb) [I] formal to get control or influence

Resources:


Idioms: Grey (with the Simpsons) @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2009/06/idioms-grey-with-simpsons.html


Technology: Where's the iPhone 5?
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2011/01/technology-wheres-iphone-5_12.html


'Repent and be saved,' say victors @ The Standard
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=11&art_id=108103&sid=31299127&con_type=3&d_str=20110215&fc=2

Feng Shui master loses claim to Nina Wang fortune @ BBC News
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12445500

Iran’s Bushehr nuclear reactor: it’s not too late to turn back @ Greenpeace International
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/Blogs/nuclear-reaction/irans-bushehr-nuclear-reactor-its-not-too-lat/blog/26237

Justice Will Prevail @ TV Tropes
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/JusticeWillPrevail

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/prevail

Message: Happy Valentine's Day 2011

"Love is the irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired." - Mark Twain

TV: Head Rush with Kari Byron

Some of you might still remember that I'm a big fan of science program Mythbusters on Discovery Channel. Well, the female hostess of the Mythbusters show Kari Byron now runs her own little Head Rush show targeting young learners to help boosting their interest in science.

Kari Byron
Image from Discovery Channel

Well, we adults, can also benefit from this program! It is in English, it is in American accent, and there is fun science in it which you can also use that to test your friends in a gathering, or your little cousins, nephews and nieces in a family reunion! So you have English learning with science knowledge and topic for friends and family, kill THREE birds with one stone! Better than the Kinder Egg!!

Image from thechocolatereview.net

Where can I find it? Well, of course on our very own English Playground! Just bookmark this entry or simply go to our English Playground @ YouTube to watch! Save you the trouble trying to find it on your own!

Enjoy the learning!

Vocabulary:
headrush -- (n) [U] Orthostatic hypotension, also known as postural hypotension, orthostasis, and colloquially as head rush or a dizzy spell, is a form of hypotension in which a person's blood pressure suddenly falls when the person stands up. For details, please see Wikipedia.
reunion -- (n) [C] a social event for a group of people who have not seen each other for a long time

Resources:


Website & TV: Tudou & Mythbusters @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2009/04/website-tv-tudou-mythbusters.html


Kinder Surprise @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinder_Surprise

Head Rush @ Locky's English Playground
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=062BA475F2FFADA2

Head Rush @ Discovery Science Channel
http://headrush.discovery.com/

Head Rush @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthostatic_hypotension

Message: Locky's Neck Has Problems Again!

Image from drmichone

While I was holding onto the shower head just about to spray that warm water over my head during shower last night, I heard a snap on my neck, or more precisely, the cervical vertebrae, and I felt that my head has fallen off. I gave one shout at the sharp pain, and then, my head was motionless. I couldn't turn it, I couldn't feel it.

Maicon with a throw in
Image from cdn2.sbnation

Then I know, the back pain I got from another snap before the Chinese New Year holidays while taking a throw in when playing football with my students has finally spread to my neck, and it is inevitable that I see Doctor Chan, the magical chiropractor that I have mentioned long long time ago.

The pain was not as fierce as that time when I snapped my neck in Macau, because that time, I couldn't even move, stand or walk. At least this time I can, but I knew, this is going to be a hell of a wait for me since Doctor Chan is so popular and so busy.

It was already midnight by then after I had finished my shower, so what can I do? I could either try not to move so much and wait till morning to give the doctor a call, or I could try to do some spinal manipulation by myself after learning from him while experiencing.

So, what did I do? I went to bed.

And I got  hour sleep, and then, I woke up, full of pain on my neck and back, every time I move, the pain intensified. That left me no choice but to do my own spinal manipulation. After some careful pulling of the neck bones with my own arms for 20 minutes, it was a total failure! So I could only try to sleep again in pain. It was already 5:35am when I looked at my phone.

I was then woken up by the phone's alarm clock at 7:30am and I was still aching. Luckily, my sister also woke up and after I had told her about my pain, she mentioned that her friend switched from playing football to doing Yoga. That rings the bell for me, and I thought, maybe I can do some Yoga stretching, and surprisingly, after doing some back stretches and playing with the Warrior Pose once, it really help a lot! Much better than me trying to break my own neck!

Yoga Warrior Pose
Image from cnyhealingarts

I will still have to see the chiropractor on Monday night (so my 2011 Valentine's Day is a goner), but at least I can live for a couple of days more with bearable pain. If a little stretching is so magical, what if I really learn Yoga? Or even cooler, what if I learn Yi Jin Jing 易筋經? Since everybody is mad about Kung Fu nowadays. Could the Yi Jin Jing be any way related to Yoga? Since they are both originated from Indian.

Yi Jinjing
Image from Wikipedia

Shaolin Master Shi Dejian Performing Yi Jin Jing

Learn Yi Jin Jing with Talkative Shaolin Monk in an English Way (1-13)

(please find 4-13 by yourself if you are not bored to death)

The moral of the story:

Never ever hold the head low, must not use the computer for too long without paying attention to the sitting position, and always remind myself to walk like matching with back straight.

Image from Wikipedia

Vocabulary:
snap -- (n) [C usually singular] a sudden loud sound like something breaking or closing
spinal manipulation -- (n) [U] a therapeutic intervention performed on synovial joints in the spinal column
intensify -- [I or T] to become greater, more serious or more extreme, or to make something do this
leave sb no choice  -- to not give anyone a choice to make.
goner -- (n)  [C usually singular] informal a person or thing that has no chance of continuing to live


Resources:

Health and Fitness: Chiropractor
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2009/04/health-and-fitness-chiropractor.html

Yiji Jing @ Wikipedia.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y%C3%AC_J%C4%ABn_J%C4%ABng

shi dejian yi jin jing @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwvUsfSh3SQ

Meditative Exercises of Shaolin Martial Arts : Yi Jin Jing Exercises 1-3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9A8EIHkiVY

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/snap_6
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinal_manipulation
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/intensify#intensify__3
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/goner

Movie: Little Fockers

Image from Lovanh Family

As a sequel of Meet the Parents and Meet the Fockers, Little Fockers is one of the movies I have been anticipating for a long long while. The first reason is that I am a big fan of Ben Stiller's comedy, the second reason is that I knew there will be some classic gags for some good laughs, and I am right about them!

For me, Little Fockers was really fun to watch. I had great laughs at the "God-Focker" gag, pleased to see Kevin (Owen Wilson) superior quality over Greg and thus making Greg feel small and jealous in front of Pam. Jack (Robert De Niro) seemed to have accepted Greg a lot more but the fun begins when he started suspecting Greg having an affair with Andi (Jessica Alba). Well, for a married man, this plot is kind of expected, but with Jessica Alba, there are always surprises!

It is pity that the kids didn't play bigger roles in this movie, which was totally unexpected because of the name Little Fockers. If more gags originate from the misbehaviour of the kids, I am sure this movie can draw a lot more laughs throughout. However, the kids were really well-behaved and that was disappointing.

Image from leedsdentsoc.com

Image from hollywoodmomblog.com

Inevitably, when one is watching a sequel, they will compare with the prequels, and the comparisons can be really detailed and even harsh sometimes. All the good jokes from the past just seem to reappear before you eyes, and if the new ones don't make you laugh harder than before, you will hate the movie.

Meet the Fockers

But let's give Little Fockers some sympathy, for that Greg (Ben Stiller) and Pam (Teri Polo) are already married and have 2 kids, you can't expect Greg to redo all those storylines like pursuing Pam and teaching the kids the gesture of "I'll be watching You!" all over again! Neither can you repeat milking a cat nor playing too much with the family name "Focker" again. So, making Little Fockers is a tough job.

If you can put aside the old jokes, I'm sure you will enjoy watching this movie as well!

Vocabulary:
sequel -- (n) [C] a book, film or play which continues the story of a previous book, etc.
inevitably -- (adv) in a way that cannot be avoided
prequel -- (n) [C usually singular] a film, book or play which develops the story of an earlier film, etc. by telling you what happened before the events in the first film, etc
harsh -- (adj) unpleasant, unkind, cruel or unnecessarily severe
sympathy -- (n) [U] (an expression of) understanding and care for someone else's suffering

Resources:

Meet the Parents @ IMDb
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0212338/

Meet the Fockers @ IMDb
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0290002/

Littel Fockers @ IMDb
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970866/

Meet the Parents Trailer @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/v/yZPnCWmo1Xs&hl

Meet the Fockers Trailer @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KovDEIah2M

Little Fockers Trailer @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y27IueXA8-E&feature=fvw

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/sequel
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/inevitably
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/prequel
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/harsh_1
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/sympathy_1