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Monday, November 26, 2007

L2 - Beatles 1964_UK Variety Club Awards


YouTube - Beatles 1964_UK Variety Club Awards

In 1964 the Beatles were at the height of their career. This video from Youtube gives some of the atmosphere of the time. Notice that Harold Wilson, prime minister of the time, wanted to be seen on TV with the Beatles. This was very much a new approach at the time for a politician. More recently, however, Tony Blair made a point of being seen with Blur.

NB Youtube videos may not play on university network computers.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

YouTube - Groovie Movie (1944). Funny jitterbug instructional video.

YouTube - Groovie Movie (1944). Funny jitterbug instructional video.

For anybody - this video from the USA in 1944 teaches you how to do the Jitterbug dance!

Friday, November 23, 2007

L2 Council Housing


Council housing in Lincoln

I explained in class how council housing was an important social reform in the 1950s. This short article on a local government website explains the history of council housing in one medium sized town.

The next couple of weeks

Thursday and Friday of next week (29th and 30th) I will be at a conference in Caen.

The following Thursday there will be an L2 civi replacement class at 2pm in room 222, and (finally) a TICE class at 6pm in the multimedia room.

On Friday 7th the L2 Thème class will be a test - a translation of a literary passage.
The L1 civilization class will include a test on the civil war (causes events and consequences).
The L2 civilization class will include a test (a written text commentary on a document from before 1945).

JM

L2 1963 - The Profumo scandal


This is the BBC news on that day in 1963. And the photo of the woman involved.

Thursday, November 22, 2007

Transports

Je suis arrivé à Créteil. Le cours de 14h aura lieu comme prévu. Le cours de 18h est annulé à cause des transports.
Je partirai tôt de Paris pour tout faire pour être à l'heure pour vendredi 8h30

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

L2 History - struggle for independence in Kenya


History - struggle for independence

This Kenyan website tells the history of the struggle for independence from Britain, from the point of view of the Kenyans.

L2 Mau-Mau (Le Monde diplomatique)


Mau-Mau (Le Monde diplomatique)

A short introduction in French to the important "Mau Mau" movement for independence from Britain.

The photo shows "Mau Mau" fighters from 1952.

Transport, and classroom tests


The trains seem to be more frequent this week, and I think I will get to Paris in time for classes. (Though of course nothing is ever absolutely certain). Any problems will be reported here.

For L2 civilization students, the classroom test which was planned for week 8 will happen at a later date. You will remember it was a text commentary on some aspect of British history before 1945. Nevertheless, do begin revising this history!
L2 civilization students will see me three times this week - Thursday at 14h in room 311, Thursday at 18h in the multimedia room, and of course the normal class on Friday. I am hoping there are several students whose exposés are ready.

Remember I am absent on the 29th and 30th, at a conference in Caen "Regards croisés sur les deux guerres mondiales".

Monday, November 19, 2007

Transport again


It seems that for the moment there are more trains than there were last week. But the situation remains very uncertain. Like last week, all information will be swiftly brought to you on this blog.

Friday, November 16, 2007

L2 British nuclear weapons today


BBC News Player - Newsnight
In the late fifties, the debate about Britain's nuclear weapons was very important.
Just this week in Britain, a new debate has broken out about Britain's nuclear weapons. In the United States and in Russia, nuclear weapons can only be launched by a code belonging to the president. In Britain, a military submarine commander can decide to launch a nuclear missile without a direct decision coming from the prime minister. The BBC TV programme Newsnight covers this story, and the link takes you to their video feed.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

L1 The Commonwealth of England


Commonwealth of England - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Next week we will be looking at the type of government introduced under Oliver Cromwell. As an introduction to the subject, read this article from wikipedia.

Pas de cours vendredi

J'y ai cru jusqu'au dernier moment, mais finalement je ne peux pas me rendre à Paris et je ne serai donc pas à Créteil vendredi 16. Toutes mes excuses.
Faites passer le message, car pendant deux heures ce matin, il y avait l'information contraire sur ce blog (le temps que j'aille à la gare).
Je mettrai sur le blog quelques éléments pour vous permettre d'avancer en attendant.
Etudiants en L2 civilisation, n'oubliez pas que nous avons deux cours jeudi prochain (14h salle 311 et cours TICE à 18h).
Bonne continuation
John Mullen

L2 The abolition of capital punishment in Britain.(The End


The abolition of capital punishment in Britain.(The End
One of the most important debates in the fifties in Britain concerned the question of capital punishment (in Britain this meant hanging). This article (follow link) explains some of the history of this abolition.

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

L2 1956 - the Suez Crisis


Suez Crisis
This site gives an introduction to the Suez crisis of 1956, a key moment in the decline of British imperial power.

Jeudi non, vendredi oui en principe

Il n' y a pas de train pour Paris assez tôt pour mes cours de jeudi. Alors je n'y serai pas pour les cours de jeudi 14h et de jeudi 18h.
En principe j'ai un train qui me permet d'arriver à Paris tard jeudi - alors les cours de vendredi auront lieu.
Si jamais la situation change demain et le train ne roule pas, je vous le ferai savoir sur ce blog.
John Mullen

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

The Beatles museum in Liverpool


About the Beatles Story Experience - Beatles Exhibition - Beatles Story
In the twentieth century history classes, we will soon be looking at the fifties and the sixties. Of course, the most famous thing to come out of Britain at this time was the Beatles. This light-hearted website belongs to the Beatles museum in Liverpool.

L1 Exercices de grammaire


exercices niveau avance
In the first year, sometimes there are still grammar problems which you need to revise. This site gives you some fun exercises to practise with. Of course "niveau avancé" means "avancé" for much younger students : for university students of English this is basic stuff :=)

Monday, November 12, 2007

Grèves dans les transports

Je ferai tout ce que je peux pour être présent jeudi à Créteil (cours de thème à 15h30, cours de TICE à 18h). S'il n'y a aucun train, je mettrai cette information sur ce blog jeudi matin vers 9h ou 10h. Si je ne mets pas d'information, c'est que je suis dans le train et je serai en cours (si la RATP ou vélib me permettent).
Si jamais je n'arrive pas à me déplacer, je vous laisserai des informations sur le travail que vous pouvez faire en attendant que la situation redevient habituel.

L2 20th century history - The UK Election Poster




TopFoto Gallery - The UK Election Poster

Election posters are excellent historical clues to the atmosphere of the time. Each party tries to summarize in a few words and pictures the key idea which will persuade neutral people to vote for their party. Often they use some of the most skilled advertisers or artists in the country. This site (follow the link) shows you a selection of election posters from the different parties during the twentieth century.
The two posters here give you an idea - one is from the Conservatives for the 1945 election. The other is from Labour for the 1950 election.

L2 The windrush generation


SS Empire Windrush - SS Empire Windrush - Icons of England
In 1948, the ship SS Empire Windrush arrived in Britain, carrying a few hundred people from Jamaica who wanted to make a new life for themselves in Britain. You can see a group of them in the photo. Symbolically it was the beginning of a wave of immigration from the British Empire, encouraged by the government who needed workers to rebuild Britain. The Jamaicans who arrived, however, often found Britain was not what they had thought. This site gives some information on this generation of immigrants often omitted from the history books.

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Information sur les grèves de transport.


Pour mes étudiants à Créteil

Vous aurez remarqué qu'il y a des grèves prévues dans les transports la semaine prochaine, et il est difficile de savoir quels trains vont rouler. Vous savez aussi peut être que j'habite à Agen dans le 47, alors ce n'est pas la porte à côté.
Je ferai, bien sûr, le maximum pour être présent à chaque cours - je prendrai le train un jour plus tôt par exemple, s'il risque d'y avoir un problème.
Si jamais je suis bloqué et je ne peux pas venir à Paris, c'est ici sur le blog que je vous le dirai. Ne m'envoyez pas chacun un mail - s'il n'y a rien marqué sur le blog, c'est que j'ai réussi à venir à Paris.
Profitez de votre visite sur le blog pour suivre les liens fort intéressants que je vous propose :=)
John Mullen

Monday, November 05, 2007

All students - BBC Learning English | Home page


BBC Learning English Home page
This site is indispensable, and full of interesting and amusing ways of practising English.

Saturday, November 03, 2007

L1 The English civil war - youtube video


YouTube - Oliver Cromwell - Protestant

Click on this link to see a video on Youtube which is a very very good introduction to Oliver Cromwell and the English Civil War. Notice how in this film Oliver Cromwell is shocked by the harsh treatment of peasants by Lords who are taking over the common land, by the changes in the church ordered by William Laud (more gold and statues in the church) and by the fact that the King refuses to call parliament.

The film is melodramatic and NOT strictly historical, but it is useful and interesting revision. It lasts around ten minutes. The video is an extract from a popular film about Cromwell.

L2 Gracie Fields 'Sing As We Go!' final scene

YouTube - Gracie Fields 'Sing As We Go!' final scene
This youtube video shows the final film of one of the most popular musical films of the war.
The final song becomes a very popular morale-boosting song.

L2 songs and photos from world war two


YouTube - We'll Meet Again Vera Lynn

This youtube video plays one of the sentimental hits of the second world war.

NB Youtube may not play on the computers of the University Network