English is FUNtastic: 02/01/2013

28.2.13

Florence Nightingale

Florence Nightingale was born into a British noble family in an Italian city called Firenze in 1820
Although no one recognized her dream, Secretary of War, Sidney Herbert whom she met during her journey praised her.
The Crimean War broke out between Russia and the combined fores of some countries in 1854.
The United Kingdom participated in the war as a member of the combined forces.
Secretary Sidney Herbert thought of Nightingale.
Nightingale was appointed as chief nurse for the field hospitals of the British army on the recommendation of Secretary Herbert.
Nightingale selected a few nurses and went to Turkey with them.
After arriving at the Scutari Hospital, Nightingale improved sanitary conditions of the dirty place little by little.
She separated and cared for the patients faithfully with all her heart.
When there weren't sufficient necessities and medical goods, Nightingale spent her money buying necessary stuffs.
Nightingale contracted Crimean Fever on a winter day while dong the rounds of field hospitals.
The long war ended and people decided to build a nursing school for Nightingale.
Although everyone praised and called her "an angel in white," she was always modest.
In 1863, Henry Dunant from Switzerland founded the Red Cross, which was designed to treat all the wounded soldiers regardless of friendly or enemy soldiers.
In an address after receiving the first Nobel Peace Prize, Henry Dunant said he had been influenced by Nightingale to set up organization.
She is a true angel in white whose name remains forever in the memory of all the people.

27.2.13

The Crow and the Fox - video and video script

A crow was sitting in a tree with a piece of cheese in his mouth.
A fox saw this and stopped to think.
"That crow has some delicious cheese."
"I wonder if there's a way I can get it."
The fox pondered how to take the cheese from the crow.
"Hi, crow, it's such a nice day."
The crow did not answer the fox.
The fox talked to the crow again.
"Hey, crow, you have such nice feathers."
"I've never seen a bird with such nice shiny black feathers."
"You're so pretty."
The crow shrugged at the praising words and looked at the fox.
"Oh, good, just a little more should do it."
When the crow showed a response, the fox continued to praise the crow.
"Since you have such great feathers, I'm sure you have the prettiest voice of all birds."
The crow shrugged and smiled.
"Won't you sing me a song with your wonderful voice."
The fox almost begged the crow.
The crow began to sing when it heard the fox talk about its wonderful voice.
But when the crow opened its mouth to sing, the cheese fell to the ground.
The fox picked up the cheese and swallowed it right away.
"This is so good."
"You foolish crow."
"What makes you think you're pretty."
"And everyone knows you have an ugly voice."
"You shouldn't be so happy because someone praises you like that."
The fox snickered at the crow and disappeared.
The crow had been tricked and it just stared at the fox.

26.2.13

Abraham Lincoln

In November 1863, a great number of people attended a memorial service in order to commemorate those who had died in the Civil War. Soon a tall middle-aged man wearing whiskers stood on the platform and began to deliver an address.

"We should make this country a country of freedom and equality so that government of the people, by the people, for the people should take root on this earth."

The people shouted for joy all at once. The man was Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States who emancipated the slaves in the country.

"Wah! Wah!"

A baby's cry resounded throughout a small cabin in Kentucky in the United States in February 1809. People of the village went to the cabin to celebrate the birth of the baby.

The baby's father lifted him and said,

"I'll name him Abraham Lincoln after his grandfather. He'll surely be a great man like his grandfather."

Lincoln set up a new happy home after marrying a beautiful woman called Mary Todd. And he was elected to US Congress some time later.

"Now I want to make my political activity more beneficial to the people."

Lincoln left for Washington, the district of politics with his family.

Lincoln ran as a Republican candidate for presidency in a presidential election and grew whiskers after receiving a letter from a little lady called Grace. His whiskers improved his image much better. At last Lincoln was elected the 16th President of the United States at the age of 51.

As President, Lincoln insisted more strongly that the slaves should be emancipated.

After all a war broke out between the people of the northern regions of the United States and the people of the southern regions. It was the Civil War.

The war lasted for a long time until the military of the northern regions won a victory. But Lincoln didn't hold the military of the southern regions responsible for anything wrong. And the unfairly treated black slaves were emancipated.

After the end of the Civil War, there were rumors of a plot to assassinate Lincoln. In April 1865, he attended an event held at the Ford Theater. Suddenly there was a loud bang from a gun and Lincoln fell down.

Next morning Lincoln died at the age of 56.

24.2.13

NY city - views from the sky

(click on the picture)

23.2.13

Turn your iPhone into a time machine

Streetmuseum is an iPhone app, introduced last year, that lets users view historical city scenes from the Museum of London’s extensive photo, painting and illustration collections.

Here’s a description from the museum’s site:

Streetmuseum gives you a unique perspective of old and new London whether you’re discovering the capital for the first time or revisiting favourite haunts. Hundreds of images from the Museum of London’s extensive collections showcase both everyday and momentous occasions in London’s history, from the Great Fire of 1666 to the swinging sixties.

Select a destination from our London map or use your GPS to locate an image near you. Hold your camera up to the present day street scene and see the same London location appear on your screen, offering you a window through time. Want to know more? Simply tap the information button for historical facts.

Once you’ve got the hang of it, use Streetmuseum to create your own trails around London. At home, on the way to work or enjoying a trip to the capital – whatever you’re doing, Streetmuseum offers you a different outlook on London.

Of course with thousands of years of turbulent history, London has changed many times so some streets or buildings may not exist today. Where precise locations aren’t available, relish the challenge of identifying recognisable landmarks which may offer you clues as to the current day site. A street name in the background or a church spire in the distance may be all you need to find the view. Our descriptions can also help you locate the right spot.

Great use of augmented reality to bring the past to life, and a very impressive case study. I’ve done museum marketing before, and one of the biggest challenges is to make the past relevant to an increasingly future-oriented society. As a history nerd, I’m always trying to visualize what and who came before me, how they differed and what stayed the same. I’ll bet I could spend days wandering through London with this app.

22.2.13

Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry's interview

20.2.13

Create your own monster. Throw a dice and according to the thrown number set the right part (eye, mouth, nose, ear, arm or leg) to the monster’s body. Finally count how many eyes, mouths, noses etc. your monster has.

19.2.13

24 Hours in... New York City

18.2.13

Justin Bieber - Biography

President's Day 2013 - Tweets from the American Presidents

Washington's Birthday is a United States federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February in honour of George Washington, the first President of the United States, and concurrent with Presidents' Day. Washington's Birthday is commonly referred to as Presidents' Day (sometimes spelled President's Day). - in Wikipedia

17.2.13

Elizabeth: The Virgin Queen | BBC History Documentary

Presented by eminent historian David Starkey, Elizabeth explores the turbulent life and times of England's Virgin Queen by augmenting newly shot re-creations of famous events with artistic interpretations of Good Queen Bess glimpses of British landmarks and period artifacts and incisive passages quoted from historical records.

Elizabeth's reign began in the late 16th century with her beloved England threatened from both without and within.

She rose to these challenges most notably building the Royal Navy into a world-renowned fighting force that defeated the Spanish Armada and presiding over a cultural renaissance distinguished by the rise of William Shakespeare.

Starkey's commentary paints a vivid picture the Elizabethan era and also describes the private struggles of a queen whose legendary devotion to her people took a huge toll on her personal life.

16.2.13

Abraham Lincoln: Biography

In August of 1862, Abraham Lincoln was pressed with a very controversial issue facing the United States. As commander in chief, he had to weigh the policy of slavery. Lincoln's main focus was to restore the Union. He was personally against slavery, but it had no effect on his views. (Lincoln's response letter to Horace Greeley).

Lincoln wanted to save the Union at all costs. In the letter response to Horace Greeley, Lincoln stated that he did not agree with those who would not save the Union unless they could save slavery at the same time. His stated object was to save the Union, not to save or destroy slavery. "If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could do it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that." Whether Lincoln hurt or helped the slaves, it was all for the sake and well-being of the Union. "The sooner the national authority can be restored, the nearer the Union will be 'the Union as it was.'"

President Lincoln was unbiased and open-minded to ideas involving the saving of the Union. "I shall try to correct errors when they are shown to be errors; and I shall adopt new views as fast as they shall appear to be true views." Basically, he will do anything he can to help the cause. Even though Lincoln tried to hear and respond to the nation's wishes, he had to favor the rejection of the doctrine of popular sovereignty. (Electronic Resource) A possible explanation for this decision may have been that he felt the government was better equipped to decide on the fate of the country (at war within itself over the issue of slavery.)

Lincoln saw his duty as helping his people and restoring the Union. His country was his main priority. He took this responsibility seriously stating," I intend no modification of my oft-expressed personal wish that all men, everywhere, could be free." Written in the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, Lincoln deemed,"...all persons held as slaves within any State, or designated part of the State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion of the United States...forever free." In his power of Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States Lincoln had to suppress fighting. His duty required him to call for the freedom of the slaves in time of actual armed rebellion against the authority of the Government.

From the above sources, Lincoln has shown to be true and fair to his duties and his country on the issue of slavery. His main goal was to save the Union at any cost. He not only saved the Union, but freed the slaves also.