What's a Jobs worth?

Steve Jobs has resigned as CEO of Apple but does this mean bad news for the company?

Actor and broadcaster Stephen Fry, a long-time fan of Apple's products, has been giving his thoughts.

Reporter:
Mark Gregory

Steve Jobs leaving the top at Apple, a company he set up with a friend in his parent's garage 35 years ago is being seen as a turning point moment.The world's largest technology company is losing its visionary founder. But investors don't seem worried for the short term. There was little element of surprise. Mr Jobs had a liver transplant two years ago and has been on medical leave for undisclosed reasons since early this year.

The company's succession plan has rolled into place with Tim Cook, chief operating officer, widely seen as a safe pair of hands, set to take over.

The secret of Steve Jobs success, according to the writer, comedian and tech guru Stephen Fry, has been his ability to produce gadgets that are likeable as well as functional.

Stephen Fry
"He understood that the object you hold in your hand, that connects you to people, isn't just the sum of its functions. It's something that should make you smile, that you should cradle, that you should have an emotional relationship with. And if people think that's pretentious then, um, the success of Apple is in a sense how wrong they are."

Mr Jobs has ridden several waves of technology change, with Apple pioneering the personal computer and then years later mobile platforms like the iPhone and iPad. Investors are betting that he's embedded his skills to the point where now the company can do without him.

Mark Gregory, BBC News

Vocabulary -
visionary - an original thinker with intelligence and imagination

undisclosed - not made public
succession plan - strategy for dealing with the change of leadership of the company

a safe pair of hands - someone who is reliable and believed to be good for the job

tech guru - a person whose knowledge and opinion on technology is respected

gadgets - small devices that do useful things, often electronic

cradle - hold gently in your hands, almost as if keeping a baby safe

pretentious - trying to appear to be important or special in order to impress other people

pioneering - leading the development of
embedded his skills - made his way of working and thinking part of the culture of the company

Common Errors in English Usage - bad; badly

In informal speech “bad” is sometimes used as an adverb: “the toilet was leaking pretty bad” or “my arm hurt so bad I thought it was broken.” In formal writing, “badly” is preferred in both contexts.

Na fala informal ''bad'' é as vezes usado como um advérbio - ''o vaso sanitário estava vazando muito'' ou ''meu braço doia tanto que eu pensei que estava quebrado''. Na escrita formal, 'badly' é preferido em ambos contextos.

Idioms - BROWNIE POINTS

Todos conhecemos como Brownie aqueles bolinhos de chocolate americano deliciosos, mas no idioma coloquial não tem nada a haver com bolinhos,pelo menos no meu haver não, a não ser que a sua recompensa seja um pedaço de brownie, quem sabe! pois a expressão "brownie points" significa 'ganhar elogios e aprovação por fazer algo para alguém'. Vamos ver no exemplo abaixo para ficar mais claro.

William is trying to earn some brownie points.
Listen to the coversation between William and Feifei to find out about the different uses of the phrase 'brownie points'.

Feifei.. William, what are you doing with that suitcase and flowers and boxes of chocolates?

William: Oh, well I'm spending the weekend with my wife's parents so I thought I'd better get something for my mother-in-law.

Feifei: Oh I see! A weekend with the in-laws.

William: And I'm going to do a bit of decorating and gardening for them too.

Feifei: Wow, you really are trying to earn some brownie points, aren't you? William is trying to get praise and approval by doing something for them.

William: Yes, I'm trying to earn some brownie points.

Feifei: To earn some brownie points. 'Brownie points' are badges young girls who are members of a youth organisation called 'The Brownies' earn for doing good things for others. Now we use that term generally to mean 'trying to get praise for our actions'.....tentar obter elogios por nossas ações.

William: Yes, you see I'm not sure if my mother-in-law really… likes me that much. So that's why I'm trying to earn some brownie points. Maybe she'll change her attitude towards me.

Feifei: Oh dear. Yes, maybe you'll get some approval from her.

Man: Look at Gary. He keeps offering to do extra work – even at weekends
Woman: Well he's hoping to earn a few brownie points with the bosses. There's a new position opening up and I reckon he'll apply for it.

Feifei: He's been offering to do extra work to impress his bosses. It's because there's an opportunity for a promotion coming up.

William: But to earn brownie points is more than just doing someone a favour.

Feifei: Yes, the expression means you're trying to get approval from someone. It's also quite a light-hearted and informal expression.

William: When was the last time you earned brownie points from someone, Feifei?

Feifei: Oh I don't try to get other people's approval.

William: Hmm, really? So you don't really care what people think about you?

Feifei: No, not at all. But William, you've got so much stuff with you. Are you taking the train to your in-laws' house? Can I give you a lift to the station?

William: Oh thanks! That's really kind of you, Feifei. I was beginning to think you were a bit selfish but now I can see you're quite generous. Ah, I understand!

Feifei: Yes, I'm trying to earn some brownie points!

William: Well, you succeeded! Goodbye!

Feifei: Bye!

Common Errors in English - MAY - MIGHT

Most of the time “might” and “may” are almost interchangeable, with “might” suggesting a somewhat lower probability. You’re more likely to get wet if the forecaster says it may rain than if she says it might rain; but substituting one for the other is unlikely to get you into trouble—so long as you stay in the present tense.

But “might” is also the past tense of the auxiliary verb “may” and is required in sentences like “Chuck might have avoided arrest for the robbery if he hadn’t given the teller his business card before asking for the money.” When speculating that events might have been other than they were, don’t substitute “may” for “might.”
As an aside: if you are an old-fashioned child, you will ask, “May I go out to play?” rather than “Can I go out to play?” Despite the prevalence of the latter pattern, some adults still feel strongly that “may” has to do with permission whereas “can” implies only physical ability. But then if you have a parent like this you’ve had this pattern drilled into your head long before you encountered this book.

Idioms- ESTRAGA -PRAZER

Imagine a seguinte situação: você e um grupo de amigos estão super animados, motivados, entusiasmados para fazer uma festa. Reunir a galera e apavorar. Vocês então planejam como vai ser, pensam nas bebidas, comidas, convidados, convidadas, etc. Enfim, vai ser A festa!
Mas, ei que então chega um outro amigo e começa a colocar defeito em tudo: louça para lavar, chão para limpar, banheiro para desinfetar, possíveis acidentes, penetras que podem aparecer, possíveis brigas, etc. Ou seja, o cara simplesmente tanta acabaz com a alegria de todos.

O que este sujeito é? Antes que alguém me venha com uma série de palavrões para definir o camarada, já vou dizendo que ele é na verdade um estraga-prazer (o pessoal mais desbocado também costuma dizer que esse sujeito é um ......!!!!!. Em inglês esse mesmo sujeito pode receber um monte de nomes também. Porém, "oficialmente" falando ele é um "party pooper".

Em inglês, além de "party pooper", você pode ainda usar as palavras "killjoy", "spoilsport" ou - no inglês britânico - "wet blanket". Algumas sentenças que você pode aprender para usar com estas palavras são:

.Don't be such a party pooper! = Não seja um estraga-prazeres!

.You're really such a killjoy! = Mais você é um estraga-prazeres mesmo!

.She's such a wet blanket! = Ela é um tremendo estraga-prazeres.

Lembre-se que você pode trocar as palavras para "estraga-prazeres" nas sentenças em inglês acima sem problemas. O sentido será sempre o mesmo!

So, do you have a friend who's a party pooper? ..

créditos - Denilson de Lima

Quotation - the greatest gift

“History provides abundant examples of people whose greatest gift was in redeeming, inspiring, liberating, and nurturing the gifts of others.”

Sonia Rudikoff - Author

"A História nos dá exemplos abundantes de pessoas cujo maior dom era na redenção, inspirando, libertando, e nutrindo os dons dos outros."

Quote of the day

“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says, 'I'm possible'!”
Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993);

actress, humanitarian