Spend hours online in class ...

... but only if you're a teacher. Seemingly, a teacher, at a primary school in Cardiff, has been accused of spending hours on the internet during lesson time. But she wasn't looking up lesson plans, she was buying and selling on eBay and updating her Facebook page.

And no - it isn't me.

Something Fishy in Politics

Sardines were brandished in Britain's parliament Tuesday when an opposition politician made a point about crammed conditions on commuter trains.

Usually "something fishy" means that there's something suspicious about someone or something, although it's not clear what it is.

But in this case the politician used a tin of sardines, and if a place is extremely crowded, we say people are packed in like sardines.

Hand's hand's hand print in the snow

Hand's Hand's Handprint in Snow
Originally uploaded by waɪ.tiː

I'm not even sure if this is grammatically correct.

It's my hand, I'm a Hand, and it's a hand print. Oooh! Now I've got a headache!

A poem, written in despair

If you purport to speak for God,
Be careful what you say.
Self styled prophet, saviour?
You've surely lost your way.

For God is in the children.
No Devil is within.
The Devil's in the money.
The Devil's in the sin.

The Devil's in the parent,
Abandoning their child.
The Devil's in the lies,
Of the greedy and beguiled.

A child is born in innocence,
A child is drawn to good.
A child is life's gift to us.
Have you misunderstood?

So if you want to speak for God.
You'd better start to listen.
And separate the lies from truth.
And heal this division.

If at first you don't succeed ...

If at first you don't succeed ...
Originally uploaded by waɪ.tiː

The full saying is, "If at first you don't succeed, try, try, try again." Basically if you fail at something, try until you get it right! A lot of language learners need to use this strategy on a daily basis.

According to legend, Robert the Bruce, Earl of Carrick, seized the throne of Scotland from the absent King John Balliol in 1306 (becoming Robert I). At some point while he was on the run, he hid himself in a cave on the east coast of Rathlin Island, where he observed a spider trying to spin a web. Each time the spider failed, it simply started all over again. Inspired by this, Bruce returned to inflict a series of defeats on the English, thus winning him more supporters and eventual victory. The story serves to explain the saying.

Now, if you look at the previous photo, you'll see that Sam had unsuccessfully tried to get me to shut down my computer. But he didn't give up! I took the hint, (it's difficult to type with a dog's head on your keyboard) and shut it down. We played for two minutes and then he had had enough and went to sleep! Dogs!

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
Originally uploaded by waɪ.tiː

The idiom "let sleeping dogs lie" means you shouldn't do anything to change a situation because it could result in making things worse.

Of course this is a sleeping dog, but it really is best to let him lie, because if you don't, there will be trouble.

Studying Timetables to the nth degree

A tram timetable is being studied as part of an A-level English syllabus.

I'm really not sure what you could write about a timetable. Especially without studying the tram or bus involved.

Will the tram be on time? Discuss.

Biometric ID Card

Fingerprinting of overseas students will begin this month. Under tougher immigration rules designed to tackle bogus colleges, overseas students coming to the UK will need biometric identity (ID) cards. The first students who will have to give their fingerprints will be those applying for visa extensions from 25 November 2008.

Bonfire Night Podcast Episode

Bonfire Night Podcast Episode

Posted using ShareThis

Goodbye Mr Chips

Goodbye Mr Chips
Originally uploaded by waɪ.tiː

Or should that be "McCain has had his chips".

There are lots of idioms to do with chips:-

A bargaining chip - something that you can use to make someone do what you want.
Be in the chips - if someone is in the chips, they have suddenly got a lot of money.
Call/cash in your chips - to die or to sell things that you own, especially shares (= parts of a business), because you need some money.
A chip off the old block - someone who is very similar in character to one of their parents or to another older member of their family.
Have a chip on your shoulder - to blame other people for something bad which has happened to you and to continue to be angry about it so that it affects the way you behave.
Have had your chips - if you have had your chips, something bad is going to happen to you, usually a punishment for something bad you have done or to miss an opportunity to achieve something you want.
something that has had its chips is going to end because it is not wanted or needed any more.
Let the chips fall where they may - to do something without worrying about the effects of your actions.
When the chips are down - when you are in a difficult or dangerous situation, especially one which tests whether you can trust people or which shows people's true opinions.

Oh and the reference to McCain - well apart from wanna be presidents they are also a manufacturer of frozen chips.