That's what I'll take home with me

P10/1

Flora says that she learned a lot about her own culture. She says that the more she learned about Austrian culture, the more she thought about her own.
She told that she started to correct her clichés about Austria and she also corrected some clichés that the Austrians have about Ireland.
She said that the biggest different between Austria and Ireland is that the Austrians are allowed to smoke in public places. She mentioned that this is forbidden in Ireland and it would take her a long time to get used to it again.

Austrian Mobile Power in electric car project

I have just read an article in today's online version of "austriantimes.at" and it talks about a new project of Austrian Mobile Power.
I thought you might be interested because this project may help to reduce car emissions.

Basically what it talks about is that there will be a project to put 100,000 electric cars on the road by 2020. These cars will cost between 25,000 and 30,000 Euros.
It is also said that e-cars would be able to travel a maximum distance of 120 kilometers.
What surprised me the most is the fact that the battery charge for 50 kilometers trips only lasts 20 minutes.

In my opinion this project is a good investment for our future.



Vocabulary:

• car emissions (Abgase) --> These are forms of gases which destroy our air.

• battery charge (Batterie aufladen) --> If you "put" electricity in a battery you charge it.

• investment (Investition) --> When you pay money for something you make an investment.

Original text:
http://www.austriantimes.at/news/Business/2009-09-18/16516/Austrian_Mobile_Power_in_electric_car_project

Press Review EP

I have just read an artikle in the today's online version of "austriantimes.at" and it talkes about the European Parlament election.

I thought you might be interested because most of you are already allowed to elect yourself.
Basically what it talks about are the numbers of the mandates which the different Parties got in the EU-Parlament.

The Parties which you could choose between were the Social Democrats (SPÖ), the People's Party (ÖVP), Hans-Peter Martin, the Right-Wing Freedom Party (FPÖ), the Greens (G), the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ), the Austrian Communist Party (KPÖ) and the Young Liberals (JuLi)

It says that the ÖVP will get six mandates, the same as they had won in 2004. SPÖ made a loss of two mandates, so they will only get five. The list of Hans-Peter Martin wins three, which is one more than he had before. The FPÖ will have two mandates, one more than in 2004 and the Greens made a loss too. They will only have one mandate. BZÖ didn't get enough votes to be in the Parlament any more.
It is also mentioned that there are about 42,4 per cent who didn't vote anybody.

What surprised me the most was the fact that the BZÖ failed the Parlament.

In my opinion it isn't very important who won the election because it won't change anything for Austria if the one Party has more mandates than the other. If there is only Austria who says no to a new rule it won't help anything.

Here you can see the result of the election as a diagram:

Press Review British Airways

I have just read an article in the today's online version of "austriantimes.at" and it talks about a new route of British Airways.

I thought you might be interested because nearly everybody goes to holiday by plane.
Basically what it says it that British Airways are going to run a new route to Austria.The route will serve London (Gatwick) and Innsbruck.
What surprised me the most is the fact that the BA sees the Austrian market positive.
It is also mentioned that BA want to open the route despite running an expected loss of 255 Million Euros last year.

In my opinion the new route is a big risk because, as we see at the example of AUA the number ofAustrian passengers is falling.

PRESS VIEW FRAMEWORK

Saint Patrick's Day
I have just read Katharina Astleithner's blog at "myblogastleithner.blogspot.com" and it talks about Saint Patick's Day.

I thought you might be interested because we have just learned about it in our English lessons.
Basically what it says it that the people in Ireland, Great Britain, Australia, the United States and New Zealand celebrate this day on 17th of March. It also says that Saint Patrick's Day is originally an Irish feast day. People celebrate this day with making parades and wearing the colour green.
What shocked me the most was the fact that people even eat green food.

As far as I am concerned I think that I'm not a Saint Patrick's day fan. This is an Irish feast day, so only the Irish should celebrate it.

Saint Patrick's Day

Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated on March the 17th It is one of the biggest celebrations in the world.

History

Saint Patrick is the patron Saint of Ireland and this is the day he died. Patrick is originally British. He came to Ireland as a slave when he was 16. After six years he escaped to Gaul and later he came back to Britain again. At his home he had the vision that he will preach to the Irish people. So he started to study the holy bible and became a priest.

It is said that he had moved away all the snakes in Ireland just with preaching. He also used a shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the whole Trinity to the Irish people.

Celebrations
Saint Patrick's Day is now celebrated all over the world. People make parades, wear shamrocks and the colour green and they drink alcohol, especially Irish Whiskey and Guinness. This year the fountain in front of the White House was dyed green for celebrations.
These celebrations are just outside of Ireland. The Irish celebrate Saint Patrick's Day in calmness and with praying.

School Uniforms

On the one hand I think school uniforms are not as bad as they seem to be, first and foremost for those students, whose families don't have so much money. With school uniforms they won't become an outsider because of their second hand clothes. The richer students have to wear the same clothes as the poorer students.

On the other hand school uniforms are boring! Everybody looks the same.

I'm glad that we don't have school uniforms at our school because I like having my own style and wearing the clothes I like. I don't want to look like everyone else. I think when somebody wears the clothes he likes, he will have a feeling of being-well and do better at school.

Of course there are some "unwritten dresscodes" at our school. Everybody knows that we shouldn't wear clothes which show too much of our "skin". Although it isn't a written rule, nobody does this because everyone will laugh at you.