LAPTOP / NOTEBOOK / SUBNOTEBOOK / MINI LAPTOP / NETBOOK - What's the difference?

LAPTOP: A portable computer.
NOTEBOOK: A laptop computer that weighs in a range from five to seven pounds. The term originated when laptops were routinely more than 10 pounds, and those that became lighter were placed in a special "notebook" category. In practice, notebook computer and laptop computer are synonymous.
SUBNOTEBOOK / MINI LAPTOP: Portable laptop computers that weigh less than four pounds may be called a "subnotebook" or "mini laptop." In order to reduce weight, subnotebooks often eliminate built-in CD/DVD drives, relying on external units to be plugged in when needed. However, if optical discs are required on the road, an external drive in the same travel bag as the computer generally results in more overall weight than a built-in drive would have added in the first place.
MINI LAPTOP / NETBOOK. This category of ultra portable, "mini laptop" made its debut in the 2007 time frame. A subnotebook weighing from two to three pounds, mini laptops have screens in the seven to nine inch range and no optical drives. In 2008, Intel coined the term "Netbook" for small "notebook-sized" portables that use its Atom processor (see Netbook).

BIRDS / POULTRY

Quando eu estava em Londres, minha filha ligava por volta de 17h, quando ela saía do escritório onde trabalhava, para nos encontrarmos: “Mom, onde vc está?” E eu dizia: “Se eu disser vc vai ficar brava...” “Mom, outra vez comendo Hot Wings no K...? Isso é junk food! Mom vc não pode fazer isso!” E blá, blá, blá... mas bem que eu gostaria de ter um bowl de hot wings aqui do lado do PC...” E por falar em aves..:
Bantam = garnizé
Broiler, fryer: frango de corte
Broody hen: galinha choca
Capon: A "fixed" (castrado) male Rooster - the equivalent of a chicken steer = capão
Chick: The young of birds, particularly chickens and gamebirds (turkeys).
Chicken: frango
Chicks: franguinho, pintinho
Cock (male chicken over one year of age: galo
Cockerel (male chicken under one year of age): galinho,
Cygnet: A baby swan. (cisne)
Duck: Pato
Duckling: A baby duck.
Gander: A male goose. Ganso
Goose: The singular of geese or a female goose.
Gosling: A baby goose.
Hen: A female chicken (sometimes applied to other species: turkey) over 1 year of age.
Laying hen: galinha poedeira
Poult: chick (turkey)
Pullet: franga
Rooster: A male chicken (sometimes applied to other species) over 1 year of age.
Tom: a male turkey
Turkey: Peru ou perua
talk turkey (iorma): To speak frankly and get down to the basic facts of a matter.

CÍVEL / CIVIL

Segundo artigo no site “Migalhas” “... cível é o "relativo ao Direito Civil", e civil é o que "diz respeito às relações dos cidadãos entre si"...

Nos textos jurídicos e forenses, o primeiro vocábulo é termo aceito como gramaticalmente correto, indicador daquilo que respeita ao Direito Civil, do que se julga estar de acordo com as leis civis: causa cível, juízo cível, vara cível.

Já civil basicamente se emprega em oposição ao que é criminal: processo civil, ação civil, condenação civil.

Também se usa tal vocábulo para distinguir alguém de um militar, de um religioso, ou mesmo para desvinculá-lo de outrem com caracteres, condições ou relações peculiares: guerra civil, exército civil, casamento civil, emprego civil (não oficial, nem público).”
Fonte: Migalhas / (http://www.migalhas.com.br/mig_gramaticais.aspx?lista=S&cod=85564)

ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT

Uma grande empresa brasileira de petróleo está mostrando um comercial em que diz “Zeramos nosso Footprint”. Quantas pessoas entenderiam isso? Por que não dizer isso em “Plain Portuguese”? Se fosse um relatório para a diretoria... mas, um comercial de televisão? A propósito, como esse termo poderia ser traduzido? Pegadas Ecológicas? Índice de Danos Ambientais? Rastro Ambiental?
The ecological footprint is a measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems. It compares human demand with planet Earth's ecological capacity to regenerate. It represents the amount of biologically productive land and sea area needed to regenerate the resources a human population consumes and to absorb and render harmless the corresponding waste. Using this assessment, it is possible to estimate how much of the Earth (or how many planet Earths) it would take to support humanity if everybody lived a given lifestyle. For 2005, humanity's total ecological footprint was estimated at 1.3 planet Earths - in other words, humanity uses ecological services 1.3 times as fast as Earth can renew them. Every year, this number is recalculated - with a three year lag due to the time it takes for the UN to collect and publish all the underlying statistics.hile the term ecological footprint is widely used, methods of measurement vary. However, calculation standards are now emerging to make results more comparable and consistent.
Source: Wikipedia

POLEMICS (n) / POLEMIC(n and adj) / POLEMICAL (Adj) / POLEMICIST (n)

polêmica (1) The art of debate and argumentation; (2) a passionate defense or refutation of an argument.
This word may be used as an adjective in the first sense of the noun, while "polemical" is usually preferred for the second sense.
The general activity is usually expressed in the plural, "polemics," and a person who engages in polemics is a polemicist. "Polemics" also refers specifically to that branch of theology that specializes in the refutation of errors of interpretation that creep into doctrine.
This word can entail a negative connotation, especially around political situations, "Little truth emerged from the polemics of the two opposing candidates." The meaning is not necessarily negative, however. A polemic for environmental preservation could be simply a passionate argument. Household uses also emerge, particularly, if you have contact with a modern teenager: "Spare me the polemic on woman's lib and clean up your room—at least pick up the clothes that are growing to the floor!"
Source: Your Dictionary

BASTION

bastão (no sentido figurado) (o termo em inglês parece “Tião” com sotaque francês) - Definition: A projection in the wall of a fortress that commands the walls on either side; any well-fortified position or impregnable stronghold.
"For centuries [the bar] was the bastion of male privilege, the gathering place for men away from their women...."
It refers to a stronghold that also may be a safe refuge: "The beauty parlor of the 1950's was the great bastion of femininity, where women could gather and converse on topics of interest only to them."
Today, however, few such bastions remain, as women invade the bars and more men have their hair styled in beauty parlors than cut at the barber's.
Source: Your Dictionary

RIP THROUGH

atravessar (embora o termo não transmita idéia de som acho que “passar zunindo” reflete bem o cotidiano/quotidiano...) = to move through a place or area very quickly and violently.
The fire ripped through the favela because the buildings were all made of wood.
The bullets ripped through the door, leaving small holes in it.
Source: Knights English

BRICS / BRINCS / NEPS

Parece que essa mania de sigla também pegou por aqui... No jornal de hoje:
BRICKS = Brasil, Rússia, India, China e Coréia (Korea)
BRINCS = Variação da sigla acima com a África do Sul (SA)
NEPS = 10 New Economic Powers

POTUS / FLOTUS / ROTUS et al...

Americanos adoram uma sigla...
Obama é conhecido como POTUS (Presidente of the United Status); sua mulher, Michelle, é FLOTUS (First Lady of the United Status). E o título ROTUS, um acrônimo para "recepcionista dos Estados Unidos", cabe a Darienne Page.
So what's the acronym for President Obama's live-in mother-in-law, Michelle's mom? Marian Robinson is FGOTUS: first grandmom of the United States.
Manchete (headlines) de um jornal norte-americano de hoje: Are FLOTUS & POTUS New York Bound, Monday Evening, May 18?

CHOOSE = ELECT = OPT IN >< OPT OUT = DECLINE

opt in (verb) a situation where a person is given the right to choose whether to be involved in an offer or scheme. "Many council tenants are given the right to opt in pursuant to the 'right to buy' legislation."
Synonyms: elect: "Many tenants elect to exercise the option to purchase their flats." choose: "Users of the computerised research service may choose to receive additional marketing information from the company."
Antonyms: opt out: "Data protection laws entitle users of the internet-based service to opt out of receiving marketing information from companies affiliated with the service." decline: "The employee declined the additional insurance protection offered by her employer."
Common phrases
opt in to receive e-mail
opt in to receive information
opt in to participate
optionee = optante
Source: YourDictionary

KEEPSAKE / MEMENTO / MEMORABILIA / MEMORIAL / RECOLLECTION / REMEMBRANCE / REMINDER / REMINISCENCE / SOUVENIR / TOKEN / TROPHY

keepsake (n.): Something given or kept; a memento.
memento (n): A reminder of the past; a keepsake.
memorabilia (pl.n.): Objects valued for their connection with historical events, culture, or entertainment: posters, publicity photographs, and other movie memorabilia. Events or experiences worthy of remembrance: a book containing the memorabilia of a life in the theater.
memorial (n.): Something, such as a monument or holiday, intended to celebrate or honor the memory of a person or an event. A written statement of facts or a petition presented to a legislative body or an executive.
recollection (n.): The act or power of recollecting. Something recollected.
remembrance (n.): The act or process of remembering. The state of being remembered: holds him in fond remembrance. Something serving to celebrate or honor the memory of a person or event; a memorial. The length of time over which one's memory extends. Something remembered; a reminiscence. A souvenir. A greeting or token expressive of affection.
reminder (n.): Something that causes one to remember.
reminiscence (n.): The act or process of recollecting past experiences or events. An experience or event recollected: “Her mind seemed wholly taken up with reminiscences of past gaiety” (Charlotte Brontë). A narration of past experiences. Often used in the plural. An event that brings to mind a similar, former event.
souvenir (n.): A token of remembrance; a memento.
token (n.): Something serving as an indication, proof, or expression of something else; a sign: “Tears are queer tokens of happiness”. Something that signifies or evidences authority, validity, or identity: The scepter is a token of regal status. A distinguishing feature or characteristic. One that represents a group, as an employee whose presence is used to deflect from the employer criticism or accusations of discrimination. A keepsake or souvenir. A piece of stamped metal used as a substitute for currency: subway tokens.
trophy: A prize or memento, such as a cup or plaque, received as a symbol of victory, especially in sports. A specimen or part, such as a lion's head, preserved as a token of a successful hunt. A memento, as of one's personal achievements. The spoils of war, dedicated in classical antiquity with an inscription to a deity and set up as a temporary monument on or near a battlefield, placed in an existing temple, or housed in a permanent, new structure. Architecture: An ornamental marble carving or bronze casting depicting a group of weapons or armor placed upon a square or circular base.
Source: YourDictionary

LEGALESE

Juridiquês é isso:
>>>>>>> "Doutor, ganhamos? - perguntou o cliente, visivelmente nervoso. Era um processo intrincado, que se arrastava por anos e do qual dependia, ganho ou não, o futuro dele. Recebera uma ligação do advogado: o processo se havia encerrado. Se havia ganho ou não, o advogado fizera mistério.
>>>>>>>- Sr. Fredolino, - pigarreou o advogado - como eu já havia lhe dito este processo era deveras complicado. O senhor deve recordar no início, quando o senhor me procurou, que as chances eram iguais para ambas as partes.
>>>>>>>Fredolino ouvia.
>>>>>>>- Bem no juízo a quo apresentamos o libelo, a parte excepcionou e contestou. O magistrado rechaçou a exceção, mas em análise da matéria de fundo restou por nos dar procedência apenas parcial. Interpusemos o remédio apropriado tendo, então, o processo sido conduzido à instância ad quo, distribuído o processo, o relator proferiu voto que nos foi inteiramente favorável, entretanto o conteúdo das manifestações do revisor e até do vogal foram incluídos nas razões de decidir. Assim ao se verificar que o conteúdo da fundamentação divergia do dispositivo, nada obstante a ementa confirmasse a decisão em nosso favor, nos obrigamos a apresentar embargos de declaração, apontando a contradição existente. Recebidos os embargos foi-nos dado provimento. A parte contrária, contudo, não se conformou, apresentou Recurso de Revista e, do despacho denegatório, apresentou Agravo de Instrumento. O Tribunal Superior negou seguimento a este último e, portanto, os autos estão agora de volta à Vara de origem.
>>>>>>>Fredolino admirou-se que esta narrativa toda saiu de um fôlego só, sem que o advogado sequer resvalasse em um ou outro dos inúmeros termos utilizados. Apreveitou-se do intervalo do advogado e então, um pouco hesitante perguntou:
>>>>>>>- Doutor o senhor me desculpe, nós ganhamos?
http://direitoetrabalho.com/2007/05/juridiques/

THE MOM SONG

Música do compositor italiano Rossini (1792-1868), abertura da Ópera Guilherme Tell , com uma letra adaptada e cantada por Anita Renfroe (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHJN2PGm1Yo&feature=fvsr) .

"The Mom Song "
Get up now Get up now
Get up out of bed Wash your face
Brush your teeth Comb your sleepyhead
Here's your clothes and your shoes
Hear the words I said Get up now !
Get up and make your bed
Are you hot ? Are you cold?Are you wearing that?
Where's your books and your lunch and your homework at ?
Grab your coat and gloves and your scarf and hat
Don't forget ! You gotta feed the cat
Eat your breakfast , the experts tell us it 's the most important meal of all
Take your vitamins so you will grow up one day to be big and tall
Please remember the orthodontist will be seeing you at 3 today
Don't forget your piano lesson is this afternoon so you must play
Don't shovel Chew slowly But hurry The bus is here
Be careful Come back here Did you wash behind your ears?
Play outside , don't play rough , will you just play fair?
Be polite , make a friend , don't forget to share
Work it out , wait your turn , never take a dare
Get along ! Don't make me come down there
Clean your room , fold your clothes , put your stuff away
Make your bed , do it now , do we have all day ?
Were you born in a barn ? Would you like some hay?
Can you even hear a word I say ?Answer the phone !
Get off the phone !Don't sit so close , turn it down , no texting at the table
No more computer time tonight!Your iPod 's my iPod if you don't listen up
Where are you going and with whom and what time do you think you 're coming home?
Saying thank you , please , excuse me makes you welcome everywhere you roam
You 'll appreciate my wisdom someday when you 're older and you 're grown
Can't wait till you have a couple little children of your own
You 'll thank me for the counsel I gave you so willingly
But right now I thank you not to roll your eyes at me
Close your mouth when you chew , would appreciate
Take a bite maybe two of the stuff you hate
Use your fork , do not burp or I'll set you straight
Eat the food I put upon your plate
Get an A, get the door , don't get smart with me
Get a grip , get in here , I'll count to three
Get a job , get a life , get a PHD
Get a dose of ,"I don't care who started it !
You 're grounded until you 're 36"
Get your story straight and tell the truth for once , for heaven's sake
And if all your friends jumped off a cliff would you jump , too?
If I've said it once , I've said at least a thousand times before
That you 're too old to act this way
It must be your father's DNA
Look at me when I am talking
Stand up straighter when you walk
A place for everything and everything must be in place
Stop crying or I'll give you something real to cry about
Oh!Brush your teeth , wash your face, put your PJs on
Get in bed , get a hug , say a prayer with mom
Don't forget , I love you
And tomorrow we will do this all again because a mom 's work never ends
You don't need the reason why
Because, because , because , because I said so , I said so , I said so , I said so
I'm the mom , the mom , the mom , the mom , the mom !!Ta da!!!

MOTHER

Definition: A female parent. One who gives birth to and/or permanently nurtures, comforts and protects a child.

Usage: As befits the term, "mother" is the progenitor of a large and meaningful word family. "Motherly" is the adjective and adverb of today's word, as in "motherly love" and "she motherly wiped the little boy's tears away." "Motherliness" is the noun expressing the warmth, nurturing concern and protectiveness that give the root, "mother," its true meaning. Just as many mothers work two jobs, so does this word—it also does the work of a verb: "Mothering and working are full-time jobs which can try (estressar?) the best of mothers."

Suggested Usage: Mother Earth, Mother Nature, Mother of God, Mother Goose (the originator of all children's stories since the book's first printing in 1719), the mother lode, the motherland—even the motherboard in your computer. Mothers are associated in all our minds with our origins and what is essential, crucial, and most important.
Source: YourDictionary

HUSBAND

To economize, to use sparingly (this is the meaning of the verb, this does not refer to the husband!). The noun is husbandry: "sparing use, economization." The word originally referred to a farmer who owned his own farm and household. The optimal husband in this sense was the one who was thrifty and managed his farm well, hence, the verbal sense. "

“Substantial progress had been made on the company’s key projects during the period, and in order to husband resources, XXX has embarked upon a restructuring of the company, bringing about a significant reduction in overheads which will flow through into the remainder of the year.”

“UK is 'living outside its environmental means'- The Independent (London), Apr 11, 2009 - ENVIRONMENT - Britain is using up its fair share of the Earth's resources earlier every year and has nearly run into "ecological debt" in 2009, according to a green think tank. The New Economics Foundation (NEF) says the country is failing to husband resources such as arable land, fisheries and forests to ensure that Britons live within their environmental means.”

“Participants take over a start-up company that has just obtained equity capital and has developed a new product that it must launch in competition with up to seven competitors. During the early stages they must husband cash as they expand into the world's markets, lay down production capacity and develop the range of products.“

“Canny gardeners know they must husband their reserves for the final push...”
Source: YourDictionary

CANNY / CLEVER / ARTFUL >< FOOLISH / INEPT / SILLY ≠ UNCANNY

CANNY: (adj) = Careful and shrewd, especially where one's own interests are concerned. Cautious in spending money; frugal. Scots.: Steady, restrained, and gentle. Snug and quiet.
Having or showing a clever awareness and resourcefulness in practical matters: astute, cagey, knowing, perspicacious, shrewd, slick, smart, wise. Informal savvy. See ability/inability, careful/careless. Careful in the use of material resources: chary, economical, frugal, provident, prudent, saving, Scotch, sparing, thrifty. See careful/careless, save/waste.

“XYZ strikes a canny deal, but [you] don’t pig out on the shares - Times Online.”

“Q.: Could you say whether the adjective canny, being used in relation to the third person, a negative or positive reference (in the modern English)? Or it entirely depends on the tone? (In this case, how would you understand its positivity if it’s just written in the informal description?

A.: Canny to me has a suggestion of cunning. To my mind there isn't really a perjorative undertone. Funnily enough I have just heard it used on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme. As I was half asleep I didn't quite catch the context but there was no 'negative' suggestion. Another similar word is 'crafty'. When we use these adjectives to describe someone who is being cunning/crafty/shrewd we say it also with a hint of admiration for the person. For some reason I associate the word as follows: A canny Scot. The Scottish people have a reputation for being careful with their money mainly because over generations they have had a hard time earning a living from a barren land. In fact they are the one race that has sought work in other countries more than many others.” (http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic14011.html)

cannily can'ni·ly adv.canniness can'ni·ness n.

UNCANNY = Peculiarly unsettling, as if of supernatural origin or nature; eerie. See synonyms at weird. So keen and perceptive as to seem preternatural.
Veja que existe também esta forma [old Scot] que não tem nada a ver com a palavra acima: Ye canny [verb: cannot] come in here wi'oot yer troosers pal!
Source: Your Dictionary

ILLUSIVE = DELUSIVE = ILLUSORY / ELUSIVE

Illusive: Deceptive in appearance, appearing to exist but vanishing as you approach. Hopes, dreams, and goals are most often illusive: "The loss of his driver's license has made Dusty Rhodes' dreams of becoming a stock car racer rather illusive." Illusive goals are not bad if they are not foolish, "Phyllis Limmer devoted most of her later years to the illusive goal of wearing her high school clothes again." Illusion/illusional = given to or characterized by illusions.Illude = to deceive with false hope
Delusive / delusion: refers to having delusions, wholly false beliefs or visions.
Elusive: implies an object that moves away as you approach, escaping capture or confirmation. “Hi, girl, how elusive you have become (como vc anda desaparecida/fugidia) , where have you been these days ?

ACUMEN / INSIGHTFUL / KEEN / KNOWLEGEABLE / PERCEPTIVE / SAVVY

Acumen (noun) = it indicates a clarity of thought,, sharpness of perception, keenness of mind, precise insightfulness. Today's word seems to be an orphan but it is related to the family of acuminate "to sharpen, shape into a point," whose noun is "acumination." We see a clearer resemblance in the adjective of today's word. Today's word is more precise and focused than "smart" or "intelligent;" "Marjorie is not only intelligent and well-educated; her acumen leads us through the murkiest problems quickly and surely." In this sentence, using the focused term serves to emphasize (the absence of ) intelligence, "How much acumen does it take to avoid sticking your tongue to a frozen pipe the second time?"
Acuminous (adj)
Insightful (adj):able to understand or showing that you understand what a siutuation or person is really like. An insightful/perceptive analysis.
Keen (adj) = eager to work/learn: The kids in my class are very keen.
Knowledgeable (adj): knowing a lot. He is very knowledgeable about wines
Perceptive (adj): Someone who is perceptive notices things quickly and understands situations, people’s feelings. A perceptive young woman. You are right. That’s very perceptive of you. Those are highly perceptive arguments.
Savvy (noun and adj): practical knowledge and ability (He has obviously got a lot of political savvy); someone who is clever and knows how to deal with situation successfully (savvy customers).
Source: Your Dictionary; Longman's

LIABLE = RESPONSIBLE >< IMMUNE

liable: responsible or answerable in law.
“The court held the defendant liable under the contract.”
Related term: personally liable: legally obligated or responsible in a personal way; strictly liable: liable without any fault.
Synonyms: responsible: "The board of directors is responsible for hiring the managing director."
accountable: "Children under the age of 16 are not legally accountable for their actions."
Antonyms: immune: "A judge is immune from prosecution for decisions taken in the course of performing her job."
Other forms of the word: liability (noun): "The general meeting voted to grant the board of directors a discharge from liability for the preceding financial year."
Common phrases: liable for costs / personally liable / jointly and severally liable / strictly liable
Usage notes: The words liable and libel (written defamation of another person) can sound very similar. Exercise caution when listening or speaking; to help you, remember that liable is an adjective and libel is a noun.
Source: Translegal

CLOUD COMPUTING - 2

Baixei e instalei hoje o "ZumoDrive" (1 GB gratuito, zumodrive.com) e já comecei a usar experimentalmente. Parece muito bom.

CLOUD COMPUTING

"Cloud Computing (literalmente: Computação em Nuvem) is a style of computing in which dynamically scalable and often virtualised resources are provided as a service over the Internet; Users need not have knowledge of, expertise in, or control over the technology infrastructure "in the cloud" that supports them. [Wikipedia]

"Surfando nas nuvens - 25/11/2008 - Conceito Cloud elimina a armazenagem física de dados - Em pouco tempo estaremos surfando nas nuvens. Informações digitais não serão mais armazenadas em discos rígidos, mas na própria internet. É o conceito de "Cloud Computing", algo como computação na nuvem. E não se trata apenas de informação. Os próprios programas serão rodados no ciberespaço. Inúmeras pessoas já têm conta do Gmail e usam ferramentas como o Gears e o Apps, todos do Google, que permitem acessar programas sediados na "nuvem" – e não no computador doméstico. Enfim, em pouco tempo tudo se concentrará nas nuvens digitais, inclusive informações pessoais hoje compartilhadas em sites como o Facebook.” [http://revistadasemana.abril.com.br/edicoes/64/ciencia_tecnologia/materia_ciencia_tecnologia_404471.shtml]

“Google's rumored "GDrive," a service that would enable users to access their PCs from any Internet connection, could kill off the desktop computer, Britain's Observer newspaper reports.
The Gdrive, unconfirmed by Google and long rumored, may finally launch this year, with some tech news sites calling it the "most anticipated google product so far."
The Google drive would shift away from microsoft Window's operating system, in favor of "cloud computing," where storage and processing is done in data centers. Users would no longer have to rely on their computers' powerful hard drives. Home and businesses have already been turning toward web-based services, such as e-mail — including popular services hotmail and gmail — and photo storage, such as Flickr and Picasa. Users would no longer have to worry about their hard drives crashing, since data would be saved on the web, and could be accessed from any machine. With the Gdrive, a PC would be a device acting as a portal to the web, enabling users to think of their computer as software rather than hardware. Google refused to confirm the Gdrive, but acknowledged the growing demand for cloud computing. [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,482761,00.html] [26 jan 09

Estou seriamente considerando aderir a isso, principalmente depois que o meu PC não reconheceu meu HD externo e passei pelo susto de ter o meu HD 'crashed'. Felizmente, uma troca de estojo resolveu.

SOLDIERS, CARROTS & PARSNIPS

These soldiers are not the military variety, rather, soldiers are anything in military formation, such as buttered toast cut into strips or the carrots in the Jamie Oliver’s recipe below (as I remember it):

SOLDIERS: Peel and cut carrots into sticks about the same size (5 cm) and thickness (choose carrots which have a medium-sized diameter, such as mini-carrots [though I've never used these - me thinks they are harder]). Place them upright on the bottom of a small pan, side by side, covering the whole bottom. Pour sweetened orange juice (one orange, plus some lime, plus some water and seasoning [vegetable stock, rosemary and bay leaves, whatever] - use sugar or sweetener with a pinch of sugar just to ensure browing) sufficient to almost cover them) and a dollop of butter [or some drops of olive oil]. Bring to a boil and let them simmer until the carrots are tender and the juice is absorbed. The carrots will then have their bottoms slightly browned (glazed) in the butter. They are de.li.ci.ous!

Now, parsnips (pastinacas [!!!]) look like white carrots . It’s a pity that we can’t find them in Brazil.

WAKE-UP CALL

(chamada despertador/para acordar, alerta) A telephone call that one requests to occur at a specific time in order to be woken up, especially in a hotel.
A sign or warning that alerts one to negative or dangerous behavior or circumstances: “Her personal life was spiraling out of control . . . and her brush with death came as a wake-up call”.
A portentous event, report, or situation that brings an issue to immediate attention. For example, The rise in unemployment has given a wake-up call to state governments, or The success of the online subscription is a wake-up call to publishers.

BREAKFAST AROUND THE WORLD

Brazil (café da manhã, desjejum): Mostly, in the Southeast Region, black coffee, cow milk, yogurt, white cheese, fruit juices. During the week, usually black coffee with some milk and a cheese roll (pão de queijo).
France: Cups of coffee, often café au lait, or hot chocolate, usually served in big bowls, accompanied by a glass of orange or grapefruit juice. The main food consists of sweet products such as tartines. A typical French breakfast does not include any savory (salgado) product.
Germany. The typical German breakfast consists of bread rolls, butter, jam, ham, sausages, soft-boiled eggs and coffee; cereals have become popular.
Iraq: Tea, a lamb stew, pita bread dipped in rich labneh, a type of yogurt, or in olive oil and za'atar (a common Middle-Eastern spice mix).
Italy (colazione): Capuccino, bread or rolls, butter, and jam. It is very common for Italians to have a quick breakfast snack during the morning (typically a panino, or bread roll).
Japan: Miso soup, rice with nori or other garnishes, natto (a type of fermented soybean), grilled fish, raw egg, and a pickled vegetable, green tea (traditional) and coffee (modern).
Korea: Rice (sometimes seasoned with cinnamon), soup, several kinds of Namul or seasoned vegetables, Kimchi (fermented, pickled vegetables/pepper), and grilled meat or fish.
Nigeria (Yoruba people): Ògì— a porridge made from corn, usually served with evaporated milk. Ògì is eaten with Acarajé (akara) or Moi moi, English tea or malta. Another popular option in south west Nigeria is garri (known in Brazil as farofa, made from the root of cassava). For breakfast it is soaked in water and sweetened with sugar.
Portugal (pequeno-almoço): Two varieties: one eaten running to work (yogurt, milk, coffee or both and some bread with butter, cheese or jam) and another, more time-consuming, on the weekends (with the addition of orange juice, croissants, different kinds of pastry, and/or cereal).
Spain: In Central Spain the traditional breakfast is “chocolate con churros” (hot chocolate with Spanish-style fritters).
UK (Britain and Ireland): Weekends: Eggs, bacon, baked beans, tomatoes, sausages, mushrooms, accompanied by toast and tea or coffee. A full breakfast is also a meal available any time at many cafés and “greasy spoons” (boteco, no Brasil e “tasca” em Portugal). The author Somerset Maugham once quipped that "the only way to eat well in England is to have breakfast three times a day." Soft-boiled eggs can be eaten with buttered toast cut into strips, which are then dipped into the runny yolk. In the United Kingdom, these strips of toast are known as Soldiers.
USA: Hot oatmeal porridge, grits (in the South), eggs, bacon, ham, sausages, pan-fried potatoes (hash browns), biscuits, toast, pancakes, waffles, bagels, French toast, cornbread, English muffins, pastries (such as croissants, doughnuts, and muffins), and fresh or stewed fruits of various types. Coffee, tea, milk and fruit juices are standard breakfast beverages.... Eggs are strongly associated with breakfast, to the extent that many Americans and Canadians consider egg dishes out of place later in the day.
Other countries: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakfast

SINISTRAL >< DEXTRAL

Sinistral (adj; noun): lado esquerdo, canhoto. Pertaining to or facing the left side; left-handed. "She wore her watch on her right wrist like most sinistrals."
Dextral (ajd; noun): lado direito, destro. "Twenty-four dextral students at Monash University were recruited. None had a sinistral in the immediate family, and their handedness was carefully..."
Keep in mind that "sinistral" and "dextral" refer to a particular side of an object, not the side of the person looking at it. The sinistral side is that side of an object when you are facing in the same direction as the object. "That unmotivated nebbish, Pierre LePoupe, could never climb the sinistral face of Mount Mukkimuck," refers to your right side as you look at the mountain from the approach.
"Mazel Toffe is the most dexterous sinistral I have ever heard play a violin."
Source: YourDictionary

THE HOLY SEE

see = sede, área governada por um bispo, bispado.

The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome, commonly known as the Pope...While all episcopal sees can be referred to as holy, the expression "the Holy See" (without further specification) is normally used in international relations (as well as in the canon law of the Catholic Church) to refer to the central government of the Catholic Church.

"Vatican blocks Caroline Kennedy appointment as US ambassador - Mr Obama was reportedly seeking to reward John F Kennedy's daughter, who publicly gave her support to his election bid. ... Ms Kennedy, 53, has said that she supports abortion. Raymond Flynn, a former US ambassador to the Vatican, said earlier this week that Ms Kennedy would be a poor choice. “It's imperative, it's essential that the person who represents us to the Holy See be a person who has pro-life values. I hope the President doesn't make that mistake," he told the Boston Herald. .." The White House refused to comment."

ACP / BRICs / CENELEC / HORN OF AFRICA / LDCs / NICs / SCHENGEN

ACP = African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States
BRIC or BRICs is an acronym that refers to the fast growing developing economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China. The acronym was first coined and prominently used by Goldman Sachs in 2001. Goldman Sachs argued that, since they are developing rapidly, by 2050 the combined economies of the BRICs could eclipse the combined economies of the current richest countries of the world.
CENELEC: comprises the National Committees of the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
HORN OF AFRICA: A peninsula in East Africa that juts for hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea, and lies along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden. The easternmost projection of the African continent, the Horn of Africa denotes the region containing the countries of Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia and Somalia.
LDCs: Least Developed Countries (LDCs or Fourth World countries) are countries which according to the United Nationas exhibit the lowest indicators of socioeconomic development, with the lowest Human Development Index ratings of all countries in the world.
NICs = Newly Industrialized Countries (Brazil is a BRIC and a NIC).
SCHENGEN: The Schengen Agreement is a treaty signed between member states of the European Community in 1985, removing/abolishing systematic border controls between the participating countries, currently a group of 25 European countries. (Ao chegar em um aeroporto europeu, o viajante se depara com este termo).
Source: en.wikipedia.org

AMELIORATE / MELIORATE / MELIORATIVE >< PEJORATIVE

(Verb) To make or become better, to improve.
“Meliorate” was the original word which, influenced by French "améliorer," became “ameliorate”. Mas “meliorate” continua tão válida quanto. Palavras derivadas: meliorable: "improvable," meliorative:" making better," the action noun "melioration," and the agent noun, meliorator "one who makes things better."

"You could meliorate your life (and mine) immensely by whining less about yourself and thinking more of others."
"In fact, human relationships provide multitudinous opportunities for melioration."
"Would it meliorate our relationship if I spent less time with you?"
"The greatest meliorator of the world is selfish, huckstering trade."
"While technically improvable, few would dispute the visual appeal of this satin- surfaced High Relief".
"The objects of certain attitudes can be captured by descriptions that are neutral and attitude-
independent. Such attitudes colour* terms that are pejorative or meliorative (e.g., the mildly derogatory Greek "barbaros", whose sense, fixing its extension, was the same as that of ‘non-Greek’)." *Este é o verbo nesta frase.
Source: Your Dictionary

ANNIVERSARY / BIRTHDAY

Anniversary: data de comemoração de um evento (fundação de uma empresa, anos de casamento, etc.). The annually recurring date of a past event, especially one of historical, national, or personal importance: a wedding anniversary; the anniversary of the founding of Rome. A celebration commemorating such a date.

Birthday: data de nascimento de uma pessoa. The day of one's birth. The anniversary of one's birth.

CLIENT / CUSTOMER / PATRON

Customer is the most general word; someone who buys goods or services.
Client: someone who gets services or advice from a professional person, company or organization.
The party for which professional services are rendered, as by an attorney: Client
A person using the services of a social services agency: Client
Bank: Customer.
Hotel / Hairdresser: client / patron.
Restaurant: Patron
Source: Answers.com et al