Bohemian Rhapsody With Footballers by Exploding Heads

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

«Carta a mis alumnos suspensos», por Pablo Poo Gallardo

Espero que estés fastidiado por haber suspendido. Si te da igual es una mala, muy mala señal.

Siempre me preguntas lo mismo: “¿Para qué quiero estudiar si yo voy a trabajar en el campo?” o “¿Para qué quiero estudiar Lengua si voy a ser peluquera?”. No sabes nada de la vida; y no lo sabes porque lo tienes todo. A pesar de que en casa no entra mucho dinero, nunca te ha faltado de nada, porque tienes unos padres que se parten el lomo por ti para que, precisamente, nada te falte: tienes tu móvil, tus sudaderas un tanto horteras, te pagan tus botellones, tus videoconsolas. De puta madre todo.

Pero la vida no tiene nada que ver con la burbuja utópica en la que os envolvemos durante toda la ESO. La vida es una putada; y no te espera, no te comprende y no te hace recuperaciones. ¿Crees que cuando vayas a echar una beca fuera de plazo te van a aceptar la solicitud? Aquí puedes traer la autorización para una excursión cuando te salga del alma, hasta te la cogemos en la misma puerta del bus: pobrecito, no se vaya a traumatizar. ¿Crees que si no llegas a la nota media del ciclo que quieres estudiar vas a entrar por tu cara bonita? No, te vas a quedar en tu casa y te vas a comer tu título de secundaria con patatas.

La vida no es la ESO, desconfía de todos aquellos que quieren que seas feliz entre los 12 y los 16. Cuando seas mayor de edad les vas a importar un pimiento: “Hicimos todo lo que pudimos, adaptamos las asignaturas que no aprobaba, firmamos compromisos educativos por su mal comportamiento, le hicimos rellenar cuatrocientas doce fichas de reflexión… no entiendo qué pudo pasar”. Pasó que menos prepararos para la vida, hacen con vosotros de todo; y luego, en tu ciclo, cuando te pongan un examen de más de dos temas, no vas a tener genitales de aprobarlo. No porque seas tonto, sino porque no te hemos enseñado a estudiar, ni a esforzarte, ni a pensar. Y dejarás el ciclo y volverás a tu casa con un papel que pone que has terminado la ESO y que ya me contarás para qué te sirve. Pero los que quisieron hacerte feliz hasta los 16, hicieron todo lo que pudieron, no vayas a pedirles cuentas. Estarán liados con otra generación.

¿Qué clase de contrato vas a firmar, si no te enteras de lo que pone en los textos que leemos en clase? Cuando te des cuenta, y eso con suerte de que te contraten, habrás estampado tu firma sobre un sueldo de mierda o sobre una jornada laboral eterna. Y si no haces lo que te dicen y como te lo dicen, a la calle. No eres especial, hay treinta más como tú deseando coger ese hipotético puesto de trabajo. Hipotético significa supuesto. Supuesto, imaginado.

No te hace falta el Romanticismo para trabajar en el campo, tampoco para coger rulos, pero sí para saber que, hace doscientos años, unos cuantos tuvieron el valor suficiente para hacerles frente a las normas de una sociedad que creían injusta, con la que no se sentían identificados. Y tú, que no tienes referentes culturales, que leemos cualquier texto y, en cada línea, hay tres palabras que no entiendes porque es la primera vez que las escuchas, pensarás que hay cosas imposibles porque, simplemente, mientras rellenabas fichas de reflexión, nadie te enseñó que, antes que vuestra merced, varias generaciones ya lo habían conseguido.

Cuando te hablen desde el atril, aplaudirás como un idiota, te creerás sus monsergas; y todo porque no tienes sentido crítico. Porque nos tienen tan ocupados con la burocracia y con las nuevas triquiñuelas de cada ley educativa que nos imponen para aprobaros por la cara que ya no os enseñamos a pensar. Te echarás piedras sobre tu propio tejado sin darte cuenta, pero luego irás al bar y, en la barra, repetirás lo que quieren que repitas y, entre tus chapucillas y el paro, irás tirando.

Que no, que la vida no es como la ESO. Que estudiar asignaturas distintas te sirve para ampliar tu cultura y, con ella, tu mente. Parece mentira pero, en las mentes abiertas, es más difícil entrar. Una mente simple se conquista fácilmente, solo tiene una puerta. No puedes terminar una maratón si nunca has entrenado, por mucha capacidad física que tengas. No puedes terminar un ciclo o un bachillerato si antes no has adquirido un método y un hábito de esfuerzo y estudio.

Siéntete mal por no haber aprobado, piensa que tu futuro depende en gran parte de lo que hagas ahora. Y, a partir de enero, vas a venir aquí a dejarte la piel: vas a dejar de dormir en clase y pensar que no puedes solo porque no lo intentas; vas a demostrar que no necesitas que te bajemos el nivel, porque sabes que tienes capacidad de sobra. A partir de enero me vas a entregar todo lo que te pida y como te lo pida, porque si no, pequeño, estás perdido. No ahora, seguramente te sacarás el título. Lo sabes tú y lo sé yo.

Pero a mí me importas de verdad porque nuestra relación no se acaba cuando cumplas dieciséis, yo he firmado contigo un contrato de por vida.

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

Labor Walk of Fame 5.1

And again, this 1st term has quickly come to an end. As usual, we’d like to publish the names of those ESO students who obtained the best English grades during this period. Congratulations to you all for such a wonderful job!

ESO 1A - Óscar Cordeiro Canosa 9.4

ESO 1B - Alba Conde Lema 8.51

7 Years, by ESO 2A Green Group

Brilliant video by ESO 2A Green Group and Lukas Graham. Lots of time and effort have yielded a superb piece of work. Congratulations!

Once I was seven years old my mama told me, 
Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely
Once I was seven years old

English Pronunciation: "The Chaos", by Dr. Gerard Nolst Trenité

This is a classic English poem containing about 800 of the worst irregularities in English spelling and pronunciation.

Dearest creature in creation

Studying English pronunciation,

I will teach you in my verse

Sounds like corpse, corps, horse and worse.

I will keep you, Susy, busy,

Make your head with heat grow dizzy;

Tear in eye, your dress you'll tear;

Queer, fair seer, hear my prayer.

Pray, console your loving poet,

Make my coat look new, dear, sew it!

Just compare heart, hear and heard,

Dies and diet, lord and word.

Slipping Away

"Slipping Away" is a song by American electronic musician Moby. It was released on 23 January 2006 as the fourth UK and sixth international single from his 2005 album "Hotel". It peaked at number 53 and stayed for a sole week on the chart. It also reached number three in Spain. The single version features Alison Moyet as backing vocals.

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

You Are the Chosen Ones, Labor Students

As a new school year is about to begin, please listen to Jose Mourinho, Labor students, because you are the chosen ones. The special ones. Nothing can stop you now. It’s time to come to school and give no less than your 100 %, no less than your very best. COME ON!!!

LABOR OMNIA VINCIT!!

SAPERE AUDE!!

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

Ordinary Love

Released in November 2013, this song was written for the movie Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. In the film, it scores the moment that Mandela emerges, victorious, to greet the people of South Africa.

According to Bono, the band decided to lace the triumphant moment with bit of melancholy after reading Mandela’s love letters to his wife, Winnie.

“He was leaving victorious, but his heart was truly broken…the only defeat he truly suffered was losing his marriage."

The song won a Golden Globe in 2013.

2016/17 Exam Schedule for ESO 2, 3 & 4

ESO 2, 3 & 4 Students,

This is your exam schedule for the 2016/17 schoolyear (you can also find a calendar of exams, deadlines and other events at the bottom of this blog):

Please note that all exams and dates are subject to change. PBL's and Irregular verbs tests dates to be confirmed.

Labor Walk of Fame 4.3

Dear students,

Another school year has come to an end, and, as usual, we are publishing our last Labor Walk of Fame post for this year 2015/2016. The best students during the 3rd term were:

ESO 1A

LAURA CONDE LEMA: 9.4

ESO 1B

JAVIER PINTOS GONZÁLEZ: 9.2

ESO 2A

 SOFÍA LAGO CASTRO: 9.2

Summer 2016 Remedial Task

ESO Students,

Here is your 2016 summer remedial assignment:

ESO 2 & ESO 4 students:

• You should solve the activities of the vocabulary, grammar and writing pages in each unit (pages 1, 3, 4, 5 and 8 in every unit)
• You should also complete the three revision sections found at the end of every three units in your student's book: review A (units 1, 2, 3), review B (units 4, 5, 6) and review C (units 7, 8, 9).

ESO 1 & 3 students:

• You should solve the activities of the 9 'Self Check' pages that you will find at the end of every unit of your Workbook.
• You should also complete the three revision sections found at the end of every three units in your student's book: review A (units 1, 2, 3), review B (units 4, 5, 6) and review C (units 7, 8, 9).

Use an A-4 sized notebook to copy the formulation or wording of every activity and underline their key words. Then, translate that wording into Galician/Spanish and solve the activities.

This assignment is NOT COMPULSORY. You do not need to hand in your homework as it will NOT ADD ANY POINTS AT ALL TO YOUR SEPTEMBER MARK. However, we would like to advise you to prepare these activities if you want to be successful in your September remedial exams.

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This is your English exams schedule for September 2016:

• Thursday 1st September, 9.00 - 10.15 - ESO 4 Remedial Test.
• Thusday 1st September, 16.00 - 17.15 - ESO 1, ESO 2 and ESO 3 Previous Years Remedial Tests.
• Friday 2nd September, 10.15 - 11.30 - ESO 1 and ESO 2 Remedial Test.
• Monday 5th September, 10.15 - 11.30 - ESO 3 Remedial Test.

Have a very nice summer and... good luck!

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

2016 Best Graduation Speech, by Mariña Allende

ESO 4 Students,

We give you this year's best graduation speech, by Mariña Allende. Mariña's speech has been chosen not only for its magnificent, deep contents, but because of the brilliant way she delivered it in front of her classmates.

Mariña will be delivering her speech again at your graduation ceremony to be held next Tuesday 21st at 13.00 in our brand new sports and assembly hall.

Good afternoon classmates, teachers, families,

Today is the day. Today we are going to say goodbye to this school. I remember my first day here as if it was yesterday. New city, new school, new people, new world. I was only eight years old, and now, I am sixteen. How fast! At that time, I was braver. I could make friends and I could find my place easily. It is simple: my place, my home, is where people I love are. This school has been a

great home.

I think remembering the school should be like remembering a person: in their beautiful moments. Because memories are made of people and of the moments they give us. That is why I am grateful to this school: it has allowed me to meet amazing and wonderful people who have built my memories and have made me the way I am. Thank you everybody.

Before, I said that I was braver when I was a child. I had doubts for a long time. I thought that I was not good enough. I thought that I was not good enough to do this or to do that; that I was not good enough to be an artist. Should I choose a different way? Should I do a degree with better career prospects? I hear it everywhere. So ridiculous!

Now, I do not have any doubts. Now, I am sure. I am sure that I do not desire that for me. We only live once, so we have to find our way. Let us walk our own way. We do not have to do what they expect from us, but what we expect from ourselves. Do not worry about the future. Future does not exist yet. Live your lives as you wish. We are the owners of our lives, and nobody can change that. Go on, enjoy yourselves and do not fear, because tomorrow is tomorrow. Who knows what will happen tomorrow? Time goes only in one direction. If we think about future every second, we will miss present. And present is a present. Stop saying “maybe I…”

We must do those things we think that we cannot do. Make them possible. It is not only about studying, it is about life. Try to make our dreams come true. Fight for them. Never give up. Work hard. Continue working hard. And, someday, we shall not dream. We shall get it.

Thank you again, classmates and teachers, for your friendship, affection and time. I hope we will have an unforgettable school trip, plenty of laughs, smiles and funny moments.

I wish you all the best. So long.

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

The world’s oldest computer

More than 21 centuries ago, a mechanism of fabulous ingenuity was created in Greece, a device capable of indicating exactly how the sky would look for decades to come -- the position of the moon and sun, lunar phases and even eclipses. But this incredible invention would be drowned in the sea and its secret forgotten for two thousand years.

This video is a tribute from Swiss clock-maker Hublot and film-maker Philippe Nicolet to this device, known as the Antikythera Mechanism, or the world's "first computer". The fragments of the Mechanism were discovered in 1901 by sponge divers near the island of Antikythera. It is kept since then at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Greece.

For more than a century, researchers were trying to understand its functions. Since 2005, a pluridisciplinary research team, the "Antikythera Mechanism Research Project", is studying the Mechanism with the latest high tech available.

The results of this ongoing research has enabled the construction of many models. Amongst them, the unique mechanism of a watch, designed by Hublot as a tribute to the Mechanism, is incorporating the known functions of this mysterious and fascinating ancient Mechanism.

A model of the Antikythera Mechanism, built by the Aristotle University in Greece, together with the mechanism of the watch and this film in 3D are featuring in an exhibition about the Mechanism that is taking place in Paris, at the Musée des Arts et Métiers.

The original fragments of the Mechanism, its main models and the watch designed by Hublot are on display at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, Greece.

Learn more on The Washington Post.

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

The Beautiful Game

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Cell Phone Crashing at the Airport!

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2016 End of Year ESO Exam Schedule

ESO Students,

This is your English exams schedule for both June and September 2016:

• Wednesday 15th June, 10.45 - 12.15 - ESO 2 Final Test.
• Thursday 16th June, 10.45 - 12.15 - ESO 3 Final Test.
• Friday 17th June, 12.30 - 14.00 - ESO 1 Final Test.
• Tuesday 21st June, 9.00 - 10.30 - ESO 4 Final Test.

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• Thursday 1st September, 9.00 - 10.15 - ESO 4 Remedial Test.
• Thusday 1st September, 16.00 - 17.15 - ESO 1, ESO 2 and ESO 3 Previous Years Remedial Tests.
• Friday 2nd September, 10.15 - 11.30 - ESO 1 and ESO 2 Remedial Test.
• Monday 5th September, 10.15 - 11.30 - ESO 3 Remedial Test.

Good luck!

No copyright infringement intended for educational, non-commercial purposes only.

Eight Ways to Study Better

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English Can Be Weird

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The Cíes Islands

(Reblogged from Travels)

The archipelago of the Cies, located at the entrance of the ria de Vigo, consists of three main islands and smaller islets. The Cies Islands offer nature, good walks and trails, spectacular views and beaches and a haven of tranquility. It’s an incredible maritime-terrestrial National Park and one of the most beautiful in the country, hence the Romans put them ‘islands of the gods’ name.

Cies form part of the Atlantic Islands National Park: a paradise of beautiful beaches and crystal clear waters, with a natural setting that makes it an Observatory of flora and fauna unique.

From North to South the Islands son:br Monteagudo or North, island of medium or lighthouse, South Island or San Martiño. The first two are United by a barrier of sand caused by ocean currents, called Beach das Rodas, on the Western side is called two Nenos saltwater lagoon.

The West coast of the Islands is sown and abrupt cliffs that may exceed 100m in height. It also has numerous caves originated by marine erosion, while the East coast have mild slopes that reach the beautiful beaches of fine sand. They include the mentioned beach of Rhodes, selected as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world by the British newspaper “The Guardian”.

Cies Islands, were declared “Natural Park” in 1980 and belong to the National Park of the Atlantic Islands, developed in 2002.

A visit to Cies is ideal for hiking in the family to a break in search of Virgin and quiet beaches. You can make a day boat trip to Cies or rent a yacht in Vigo. Or, if you prefer, spend a weekend in Cies campsite. In addition, it is an exceptional place for diving in the Vigo river and, with luck, you can swim surrounded by arroaces (local dolphins, of smaller size).

Can only access the archipelagos of the National Park from the sea, by the means of maritime transport services of passengers who fly on specific dates or, with prior authorization if it’s a private boat. Currently, several shipping companies provide regular services at Easter, weekends of May and summer to visit the islands of Cíes and Ons. Access is restricted to a maximum of 2200 people per day.

To preserve the environment the number of visits is regulated as well as activities within and around the Islands.

Here are some things to keep in mind when visiting the Cíes Islands:

– It is not recommended to approaching the cliffs, can be dangerous.

– It is recommended to travel on public roads.

– Please always take plenty of water and sunscreen.

– You never leave trash, take it with you.

– Is not permitted to camping except in the permitted areas.

– It is not allowed to pull up plants or disturb the animals.

– Anchoring of boats without authorization is not permitted. Click here to request authorization.

– Diving in the vicinity of the Islands without permission is not allowed. To request permission please click here.

– Is not allowed to light fires.

– Is not permitted sport fishing.

– Is not allowed the entry of animals on the Islands, with the exception of dogs Guide for visually impaired.

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

'Mind the gap' announcer Phil Sayer dies aged 62

(Reblogged from The Guardian)

Voiceover artist was heard on London’s tube network and railway stations across the country

The man who voiced some of London Underground’s “mind the gap” announcements has died.

Phil Sayer, 62, whose voice was heard daily on the capital’s tube network, as well as on many automated PA systems on railway stations across the UK, died on Thursday from cancer.

His wife, Elinor Hamilton, made the announcement on Facebook, writing: “Phil Sayer – voice of reason, radio, and railways. A dearly loved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. We are sorry to announce that this service terminates here.”

Phil Sayer appearing on This Morning in 2014. Photograph: Ken McKay/ITV/Rex/Shutterstock

Twitter

Sayer worked as a BBC presenter in the 1980s before setting up a company with he and Elinor working as voiceover artists. He retired from doing voiceovers in April after his health declined.

In 2007, Sayer old the BBC: “These days, most of my work is as a voiceover artist, though I still present live shows and conferences for corporate clients from time to time. It’s my voice on most of the automated PA systems on railway stations across the UK. As a result, I’m heard saying ‘Sorry…’ quite a lot.

“The company I run with my wife Elinor also provides PA announcements for large parts of the London Underground. We’re quietly proud that our two-person company from the north-west of England beat off competition from the big boys in London to win this lucrative contract.

“Lastly, at the grand old age of 54 I’m the proud dad of two-year-old twin boys. Silly old fool, eh?”

The mind the gap announcement was introduced in 1968 after it became impractical for drivers and station attendants to warn passengers. The warning was also painted on the edge of the platforms.

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

Filming on your smartphone

Tips for filmmakers on how to get the most out of your smartphone.

(Reblogged from BBC Academy)

Smartphones mean that everyone can be a filmmaker.

Arthur Haynes is part of the BBC Production Talent Pool and is a seasoned smartphone filmmaker. In this video, recorded on a smartphone (iPhone 5), Arthur shares his tips for filming on your smartphone.

"My advice is to go out there and have a play. You never know what you might create."

– Arthur Haynes

Setting up

1. Set your phone to airplane mode so that you don’t have any interruptions when recording.
2. Adjust your brightness. Set it to high so you can see clearly what you’re filming.
3. Always film in landscape so that the format is set correctly when you playback.

Now for the actual filming…

Before you start filming, think about what your story is and then think about the shots that will best tell the story.

1. Set the scene.  Have an establishing shot and make sure you introduce your characters to your audience pretty early on.
2. Don’t just stick to one shot. Use different types of shots to make your story more interesting.  Change the angle of the camera to give different points of view.
3. Zooming in when filming on your smartphone is a big no-no! It’s always best for you to physically move with the camera instead.
4. Blurry footage is of no use to anyone so make sure you focus before you start filming. Hold down the square box on your screen to focus on your subject.
5. Exposure - smartphones have this built in. Tap on your subject and then adjust your settings according to what you want.
6. There’s nothing worse than having great footage but having the sound let you down. Make sure you know where the microphone is on your phone so as not to cover it up when filming. If you’re filming in a quiet area then the phone’s own microphone might be enough…
7. …. But you can always use the phone’s headphones as an additional mic.
8. You'll want to stabilise your shots and limit movement so that you don't have shaky shots. Depending on what you’re filming, holding the phone in your hand might work. If you’re going to be filming for a while, you might want to think about leaning the camera on something or even etting a tripod and a mount.

Click here to watch the video.

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

Labor Walk of Fame 4.2

Since the second term has come to an end, we want to congratulate those students who did best during these three months. And those are:

ESO 1A: Javier Pintos González (9.29)

ESO 1B: Laura Conde Lema (9.42)

ESO 2A: Sofía Lago Castro (9.13)

ESO 2B: Diego Rodríguez Riobó (7.77)

ESO 3A: Lucía Díaz Cameselle (9.62)

ESO 3B: Raquel Cordeiro Canosa (9.14)

ESO 4A: Álvaro de Prado Saborido (9.14)

ESO 4B: Marta Rivas Ramallo (8.46)

And the best overall ESO student of English in the 2nd Term is Lucía Díaz Cameselle, with an average mark of 9.62. Congratulations!

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

Learn the Cockney accent with Jason Statham

Ok... We couldn't afford Jason Statham, so we got what we could afford! Learn aspects of the Cockney accent and even take a little test at the end!

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.

Bolsas de Inmersión Lingüística 2016

A Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria convoca 682 prazas para realizar actividades de formación en linguas estranxeiras no ano 2016.

Poderá solicitar estas axudas o alumnado de centros sostidos con fondos públicos da Comunidade Autónoma de Galicia dos cursos que aparecen na seguinte táboa.

Acceso ao texto da Orde de convocatoria

Acceso ao cartel informativo

Acceso á guía para cubrir a solicitude (aplicación axudasle)

- Lémbrase a necesidade de achegar, xunto coa documentación, a fotocopia de todas as páxinas cubertas do libro de familia ou, de non dispor deste, da documentación que xustifique o número total de membros da unidade familiar.

- Para as personas que non empreguen a aplicación (que obrigará a cubrir esta información), indícase a importancia de facilitar, alomenos, un teléfono de contacto, procurando cubrir todas informacións indicadas na solicitude en letra lexible.

- No caso de remitir a solicitude vía Correo Postal (o Anexo I debe selarse e datarse por Correos), o enderezo de envío é:

Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria

Dirección Xeral de Educación, Formación Profesional e Innovación Educativa

Edf. Administrativo de San Caetano s/n

15781 – Santiago de Compostela (A Coruña)

 Prazo aberto dende o 29 de marzo ata o 28 de abril (incluído)

						Achega das familias (€)
	MODALIDADE	DURACIÓN	RÉXIME ALOXAMENTO	Nº PRAZAS	CUSTO POR PRAZA (€)	GRUPO A	GRUPO B	GRUPO C	GRUPO D
2º BACHARELATO	Inglés en Galicia	1 semana	Residencia	33	800	100	180	300	350
1º BACHARELATO	Inglés en Galicia	1 semana	Residencia	59	800	100	180	300	350
4º EDUCACIÓN SECUNDARIA OBRIGATORIA	Inglés en Galicia	2 semanas	Residencia	90	550	70	125	220	275
3º EDUCACIÓN SECUNDARIA OBRIGATORIA	Inglés en Galicia	2 semanas	Residencia	120	550	70	125	220	275
2º EDUCACIÓN SECUNDARIA OBRIGATORIA	Inglés en Galicia	2 semanas	Residencia	190	550	70	125	220	275
1º EDUCACIÓN SECUNDARIA OBRIGATORIA	Inglés en Galicia	2 semanas	Residencia	190	550	70	125	220	275
			Total prazas:	682

CONSULTAS

Web da convocatoria: http://www.edu.xunta.es/axudasle

Enderezo electrónico: axudasle@edu.xunta.es

Atención telefónica:  981957296 - 881997497 - 981957538 - 981546503

No copyright infringement intended. For educational, non-commercial purposes only.