HANS ZIMMER

A tribute to Hans Zimmer and his great music
Songs (in chronological order)

1.- Nyah from Mission Impossible II
2.- Run Free from Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimerron
3.- Wheel of Fortune from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
4.- Red Warrior from The Last Samurai
5.- The Journey - Kopano III from Tears of the Sun
6.- Now We Are Free (with Lisa Gerrard) from The Gladiator
7.- Score from Crimson Tide
8.- You're So Cool from True Romance
9.- Score from The Rock
10.- Score from Rain Man
11.- Chevaliers de Sangreal from The Da Vinci Code
12.- God Yu Tekkem Laef Blong Mi from The Thin Red Line

Composer Hans Zimmer was born September 12, 1957 in Frankfurt, Germany; after relocating to London as a teen, he later wrote advertising jingles for Air-Edel Associates, and in 1980 collaborated with the Buggles on their LP The Age of Plastic and its accompanying hit "Video Killed the Radio Star." A stint with Ultravox followed before Zimmer next surfaced with the Italian avant-garde group Krisma; he then formed a partnership with film composer Stanley Myers, and together they founded the London-based Lillie Yard recording studio. Zimmer and Myers' movie work of the period, which included material for pictures including Moonlighting, Success Is the Best Revenge, Insignificance, and the acclaimed My Beautiful Launderette, made significant strides in fusing the traditional orchestral aesthetic of film composition with state-of-the-art electronics, and proved highly influential on countless soundtracks to follow.

In 1986 Zimmer joined David Byrne and Ryuichi Sakamoto on their Oscar-winning score to The Last Emperor; his work on the apartheid drama A World Apart was his first major solo credit, and led to his Academy Award-nominated score for 1988's Best Picture-winning smash Rain Man. The following year Zimmer again composed the soundtrack for a Best Picture winner, this time Bruce Beresford's Driving Miss Daisy; a remarkably prolific writer, by the time the '90s dawned his music was a Hollywood staple, with a list of hits including Black Rain, Backdraft, Thelma & Louise, A League of Their Own, and Days of Thunder. Zimmer scored his biggest commercial hit in 1994 with his work on Disney's The Lion King; the film's soundtrack garnered countless awards, including an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and two Grammys. Later adapted for the Broadway stage, The Lion King took home the 1998 Tony for Best Musical as well.

In 1995, Zimmer also earned a Grammy for his work on Crimson Tide, which was honored as Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture. Another Academy Award nomination followed for 1996's The Preacher's Wife; that same year, he earned BMI's prestigious Richard Kirk Award for lifetime achievement. 1997 saw Zimmer earn another Oscar nom for his work on the James L. Brooks comedy As Good as It Gets, repeating the feat for the third consecutive year in 1998 with his score for the Terence Malick masterpiece The Thin Red Line. His contributions to The Prince of Egypt also earned a Golden Globe bid earlier that same year.

The 2000s marked an auspicious time in the composer's career, as he continued scoring the biggest A-list films of the season, averaging two or three blockbusters a year, including Hannibal, Gladiator, The Last Samurai, Batman Begins, and The Da Vinci Code. In 2007, Silva Screen Records released Film Music of Hans Zimmer, a double-disc set highlighting his achievements as a movie-music maker. Later in 2007, he reworked Alf Clausen's zany Simpsons theme into a traditional symphonic film score on The Simpsons Movie.

(Source:Jason Ankeny, Rovi)

English Idioms And Proverbs

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Idioms And Proverbs

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BOSTON

BOSTON is the most English of American cities. It looks a little like England with its predominantly brick architecture, but mostly it is just a feeling you get. Flying into Boston, for instance, it seems as if the plane is going to land in Boston Harbor. Believe it or not, one of Boston´s nicknames is "Hub of the Universe." Another is "Beantown,"so it kind of evens out. Due to its size, Boston is a very accessible city, but it may be that its reputation as a walking city relies on the creation of one of America's first historic walking tours, The Freedom Trail. The Freedom Trail Foundation continues to work to preserve this perfect introduction to Colonial Revolutionary Boston. The Trail takes the visitor to 16 historical sites in the course of two or three hours and covers two and a half centuries of America's most significant past. A red brick or painted line connects the sites on the Trail and serves as a guide. Since the past and the present live alongside the Trail, its visitors have the opportunity to see the City as it truly is. Many visitors prefer to linger and study the many exhibits, thus a full day or more can be devoted to browsing along the Trail. One can take a self-guided tour or one of the many tours available through the Boston Common Visitors Center at 148 Tremont Street or the Bostix Booth located at Faneuil Hall. If you prefer to ride, you can pay for one of the trolley tours, which are unofficial guided tours, but do take the rider to many of the sites along the Trail and allow one to disembark at selected stops.

NEW UPCOMING MOVIES

Title: Jane Eyre
Genre: Drama/Romance
Directed by: Cary Fukunaga
Written by: Charlotte Bronte (Book), Moira Buffini (Screenplay)
Starring:
Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Jamie Bell, Judi Dench, Holliday Grainger, Sally Hawkins, Tamzin Merchant, Imogen Poots
Movie 2011: March 11, 2011

Plot:
"In the story, Jane Eyre (Mia Wasikowska) flees Thornfield House, where she works as a governess for wealthy Edward Rochester (Michael fassbender). The isolated and imposing residence – and Mr. Rochester's coldness – have sorely tested the young woman's resilience, forged years earlier when she was orphaned. As Jane reflects upon her past and recovers her natural curiosity, she will return to Mr. Rochester – and the terrible secret that he is hiding…"






Title: Hanna

Genre: Action/Drama/Thriller
Directed by: Joe Wright
Starring:
Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana, Cate Blanchett, Niels Arestrup
Release date:
Fri 08, Apr 2011

Plot:
"Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) is a teenage girl. Uniquely, she has the strength, the stamina, and the smarts of a solider; these come from being raised by her father (Eric Bana), an ex-CIA man, in the wilds of Finland. Living a life unlike any other teenager, her upbringing and training have been one and the same, all geared to making her the perfect assassin. The turning point in her adolescence is a sharp one; sent into the world by her father on a mission, Hanna journeys stealthily across Europe while eluding agents dispatched after her by a ruthless intelligence operative with secrets of her own (Cate Blanchett). As she nears her ultimate target, Hanna faces startling revelations about her existence and unexpected questions about her humanity."

SKIING

Skiing is the action of travelling over snow or ice with one's feet placed on skis (long narrow pieces of wood or other material). There are many different forms of skiing. Some skiing events take place on icy mountain slopes and peaks and others take place on level or bumpy runs and trails. Skiing events in the Winter Olympics are categorized as Alpine, Nordic or Freestyle. Alpine skiing events take place on steep terrain. Many people call this "downhill" skiing. The boots are attached to the skis with bindings. The toe and heel of each boot are firmly fixed to the skis. Top downhill skiers can go 100 kilometres per hour or faster. Their average speed is similar to a car on a highway. Nordic skiing is generally for terrain that is less steep. In this type of skiing, the toe is fixed firmly to the ski, but the heel is free. The most popular type of Nordic skiing is "cross country". Freestyle skiing is a form of acrobatics. Skiers show off their skills by doing tricks.

History
Nordic skiing has been around for about 5,000 years. It likely developed as a method for hunting. Skis were carved out of wood. In Scandinavia, skiing was a major mode of transportation before it became a sport. Alpine skiing required more sophisticated bindings to hold the toes and heels to the skis. These were developed in the late 1800's. Downhill skiing originated in the European Alps. This is where it got its name. Nordic skiing became an official Olympic event at the 1928 Winter Games in Switzerland. This was the first year the Winter Olympics were recognized by the IOC. Alpine skiing was added in 1936. Since then many more skiing events have been added to the Olympic program, including the popular sport with one large ski better known as "snowboarding".

Equipment
Different types of skiing require different equipment. The length of the skis worn depends on the type of skiing. Some skiers hold ski poles for balance and wear helmets to protect their heads. Many professional skiers wear goggles to protect their eyes as well. Ski lifts, chair lifts or gondolas are often used to transport skiers up to the top of a mountain to ski down a run. Snow-grooming machines are sometimes used when there is not enough real snow. Skiers call real fresh snow "powder".

In the Olympics there are various types of Nordic events, including individual races, relays, sprints, combined events, and races of different distances.

Cross Country
There are two main types of cross-country skiing. Classical cross-country skiing involves straight skiing on designated trails. Freestyle cross-country is a faster type of skiing. In this sport skiers push off on each ski every time they take a stride. Some events combine cross-country and freestyle skiing. Skiers do not go down steep inclines on cross-country skis.

Ski Jumping
This event is held at the top of a hill. The hill can be "normal", "large" (higher), or "ski-flying" (highest). Skiers start at the top of the hill called an "inrun". They then jump from a ramp. The score for a ski jump is based on the distance and the style of the jump. Skiers make a V with their skis to clear the most distance. Ski jumping in the Olympics is a male-only event. Women ski jumpers hoped the sport would be added in 2010, but the IOC chose not to include it.

Nordic Combined
In this event, skiers must complete a cross-country race and at least one scored ski jump from the top of a ski hill. The distance, order and number of jumps in the Olympic Nordic combined event changes often.

Biathlon
This event involves cross-country skiing and rifle shooting. Skiers race around a track and make several stops to shoot at targets. When skiers miss a target they receive a penalty, such as having to ski an extra loop or having time added to their total. Racers are free to use either classic or freestyle forms of skiing.

Alpine Skiing
In the Olympics there are five types of Alpine events, including the main four below, plus an event that combines downhill and slalom racing. Downhill and Super G are "speed events" while slalom and giant slalom are "technical events". Men and women compete in the following races against other skiers of their own gender.

Downhill
This is the longest type of downhill race. Skiers compete to have the fastest time. They have one run down a very steep hill that is usually covered in ice. Downhill courses (seen right) feature a variety of terrain including turns, jumps and straightaways.

Slalom
This is a short course with sharp turns. Skiers must go through sets of gates (poles) that are very close together. In the Winter Olympics, skiers go down the run twice. The gates are moved for the second run. The two race times are added together for a total. Short skis are worn to maximize movement.

Giant Slalom
This is similar to slalom except that the gates are farther apart and the course is longer. The turns are not as sharp and the speeds are faster in the giant slalom.

Supergiant (Super G)
This is an event that combines downhill and giant slalom events. It is a longer run than the giant slalom and skiers use the "tuck" position as they do in the downhill events. The gates are placed farther apart, allowing skiers to pick up a lot of speed. As in all of the slalom events, skiers are not allowed to take a practice run. They are permitted to view the course ahead of time.

Freestyle Skiing
Acrobatic skiing was previously known as "hot-dogging". It was a demonstration sport at the 1988 Winter Olympics and has been an official discipline ever since. The two main forms of freestyle skiing are aerials and moguls. Outside of the Olympics, skiers compete in many other freestyle forms.

Aerials
Aerials became an Olympic sport in 1994. Skiers jump off an elevated area and do flips, summersaults and other twists in the air. Their formation in the air is worth 50% of their score. Skiers are also judged on how high they "fly" and how well they "land".

Moguls
"Mogul" is another word for "bump". Skiers race down a run that is full of moguls. Their score is based on how fast they ski and how well they turn corners and perform tricks.

SLANG

British slang and language related sites:
London Slang - current usage, including rhyming slang. With an introduction, slang survey, bibliography and films, it's well worth a butchers.
Completely Lanky - a wonderful insight into the Lancashire dialect. Based on Dave Dutton's reyt funny book of the same name.
United Kingdom English for the American Novice - a listing of British words and phrases, from an American's perspective, including some slang, with definitions in American. (Last updated Jan 1996)
Everyday English and Slang in Ireland - a starting point for those interested in the rich language of the Irish, and although not strictly


US slang and language related sites:
Amerispeak - contains a selection of expressions associated with the US.
A Seattle Lexicon - for 'Lingo from the Far Corner' offering sections on geography, events, sports and coffee amongst others.
American Dialect Society - founded over a century ago and the only scholarly association dedicated to the study of the English language in North America.
Bay Area Hip Hop Dictionary - a good collection of slang from San Francisco, including Bay Area links.
Slang City - guide to American slang, including explanations of popular songs and movies, bad words, body parts and more.
A Historical Dictionary of American Slang - presents a unique way for studying slang. It contains over 2200 slang words with the centuries in which they were first printed.

SPICE UP YOUR LIFE

Anjali Patak gives us lessons in Indian cooking

We all know that Indian food is a lot of nations´ favourite , yet so many people are afraid to try it at home. Thankfully, Patak has made us cook authentic Indian meals with little time and effort - and without a cupboard of overflowing spices.

http://www.pataks.co.uk/