People: Justin Bieber's New Haircut

Image from disneydreaming

"February 21, 2011 will forever be known as THE DAY JUSTIN BIEBER CUT HIS BEAUTIFUL HAIR. Life as we know it will NEVER be the same. Never. Ever, ever."

This is the opening line from TMT.com. Honestly, I don't like Justin Bieber, not because he is too young to make millions of US dollars, but because I don't like his songs. Why don't I like his songs? Well, because I'm too old to hear a 14-15-16-year-old boy singing love song to an even younger girl. I'm way over that age! And! I don't like continual repetition of "Baby". It's like brainwashing!

Image from gossip.whyfame.com

But his hair is really impressive! I mean, how many boys in Hong Kong are following this hairstyle? Basically, countless! Everybody wants a part of his hair, worldwide! And it is more like it is the hair that makes his famous, not his songs, or his musical talents, or his young age! Can you name some stars who first became famous because of the hairstyle? Or maybe, can you name any stars that has a signature hairstyle? I can name a lot! Try taking a look at this website here!

Let's see how Justin does his hair!

Reminds me of what Les Grossman (Tom Cruise) said in the following video:

"You have just flush you xxxxing career, down the toilet!" -- Les Grossman

And Les Grossman is right, stars can fall and rise simply because of a change in hairstyle.Well, wish Justin good luck!

Just in case you want to revise your hairstyle terminology, you can revisit Vocabulary: Hairstyle Terminology
and Vocabulary: BaldnessTerminology. What is Justin Bieber's hair called? Is it a fringe or a flip? Well, looks like it doesn't matter anymore.

Vocabulary:
repetition -- [U] when you do or say something again
brainwash -- [T] disapproving to make someone believe something by repeatedly telling them that it is true and preventing any other information from reaching them
Brazilian Blowout -- (n)[U] mentioned in Les Grossman (Tom Cruise) video. See picture below.

Image from http://www.troyrichardsalon.com/blog/uploaded_images/brazilian_blowout-786666.jpg

Resources:

Bieber's Haircut -- Altering the Course of Humanity @ TMT
http://www.tmz.com/2011/02/22/justin-bieber-haircut-tmz-on-tv/?mediaKey=f35a1585-05a3-4406-9ef9-46b20c2302fc&isShareURL=true

Justin Bieber @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_bieber

Studio Stylish Brush
http://www.georgecaroll.com/male%20stars/famous%20hairlines/famous-hairlines.htm

Robert Pattinson & Les Grossman MTV Movie Awards Promo 2010 @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JerwUH-d6Oc&feature=player_embedded

Vocabulary: Hairstyle Terminology @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2009/07/vocabulary-hairstyle-terminology.html

Vocabulary: BaldnessTerminology @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2009/08/vocabulary-baldness-terminology.html

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/repetition
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/brainwash

Song: Misery -- Maroon 5

Image from buzznet

Image from Wikipedia

One of my latest favourite song is Misery by Maroon 5, a boy-band that has begun rocking since 1992 till now that all members have become man-band. They only get more and more famous with age. Maybe this is what people call "mandom".

Image from Wikipedia

Anyway, back to the song, Misery was released in Maroon 5's third studio album called Hands All Over, with a name kind of match the actions in the MTV of this song. The MTV only featured lead vocalist Adam Levine rather than all members of Maroon 5, but the reason may well lie on the fact that female star in the MTV is his 24-year-old Russian supermodel girlfriend in real life, Anne Vyalitsyna. You wouldn't want your girlfriend to make MTV with someone else, would you?

As for the song, I like the upbeat melody and then simple metaphors used for supposedly a not-so-high-morale song.

Adam explains the meaning of the song himself as follows,

Frontman Adam Levine told MTV News: "'Misery' is about the desperation of wanting someone really badly in your life but having it be very difficult. Kind of what all the songs I write are about. I'm not treading on new ground, but I think a lot of people - including myself - deal with that all the time. Relationships are difficult, and it's good therapy to write about them."

Hope you like it!

Vocabulary:
mandom -- (n) [U] the noun for adjective "man"
lead vocalist -- (n) [C] the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song
morale -- (n) [U] the amount of confidence felt by a person or group of people, especially when in a dangerous or difficult situation
tread -- (vb)   [I or T usually + adverb or preposition]  mainly UK to put your foot on something or to press something down with your foot

Lyrics:

Misery
Oh yeah
Oh yeah
So scared of breaking it
But you won't let it bend
And I wrote two hundred letters
I won't ever send
Somehow it is cut so much
Deeper then they seem
You'd rather cover up
I'd rather let them be
So let me be
And I'll set you free

[CHORUS]
I am in misery
There ain't no other
Who can comfort me
Why won't you answer me?
Your silence is slowly killing me
Girl you really got me bad
You really got me bad
I'm gonna get you back
Gonna get you back

Your salty skin and how
It mixes in with mine
The way it feels to be
Completely intertwined
It's not that I didn't care
It's that I didn't know
It's not what I didn't feel,
It's what I didn't show
So let me be
And I'll set you free


[CHORUS]
I am in misery
There ain't no other
Who can comfort me
Why won't you answer me?
Your silence is slowly killing me
Girl you really got me bad
You really got me bad
I'm gonna get you back
Gonna get you back

Say your faith is shaken
You may be mistaken
You keep me wide awake and
Waiting for the sun
I'm desperate and confused
So far away from you
I'm getting here
Don't care where I have to go

Why do you do what you do to me, yeah
Why won't you answer me, answer me yeah
Why do you do what you do to me yeah
Why won't you answer me, answer me yeah

[CHORUS]
I am in misery
There ain't no other
Who can comfort me
Why won't you answer me?
Your silence is slowly killing me
Girl you really got me bad
You really got me bad
I'm gonna get you back
Gonna get you back


Homework:
Try to pick out the metaphors used in this song.


Resources:

Misery @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misery_(Maroon_5_song)

Hands All Over @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hands_All_Over_(album)

Misery Lyrics @ Direct Lyrics
http://www.directlyrics.com/maroon-5-misery-lyrics.html

Adam Levine @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Levine

Anne Vyalitsyna @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Vyalitsyna

Misery @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6g6g2mvItp4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_vocalist
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/morale

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