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Dear Readers,

The year 2001 was the first year of the new decade, new century and new millennium, but our magazine has only just completed its first decade of writing for students and teachers of English as "the universal second language." We began operations in 1992, but only two issues were published that year, so it is 2003 that really marks our 10th birthday. In today's fast-paced times, 1993 may now seem like ancient history. For the benefit of those too young to be with us then, let's recall what things were like back then.

British citizen Tracy Housel was executed on13th March 2002 in Jackson, Georgia, in the US. He received a lethal injection and took 11 minutes to die. Housel, born in the British colony of Bermuda, was convicted of the murder and rape of a woman in Georgia in 1986. He also confessed to the murder of 17 other people. His defenders say that he was mentally ill at the time. The British government had asked the US not to execute one of its citizens.

Benjamin Zephaniah, one of Britain's leading poets, merges politics and reggae with incisive wit. He was born in Birmingham in the industrial heartland of England, a far cry from his Jamaican roots, but his popularity has since spread around the globe, even earning him a no.1 slot in Yugoslavia!

Australia's Aborigines are becoming a strong force in the country's diverse society and culture.

For people right around the world, Australia is synonymous with Aboriginal history and culture. And so it might be a little surprising to learn that Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders make up just 2% of Australia's population - or 353,000 people. For a people so few in number to be so well-known and appreciated internationally says a lot about the strength and vibrancy of indigenous Australian culture.

"Slang" is the secret argot of a group of people who share a similar lifestyle, sub-culture or workplace. Its purpose is to conceal the meaning of what is being said from those outside of the group. The Polish slang used in prisons, for example, (grypserka) is meant to conceal what is being said from the prison guards.

Ania Mucha has acted in numerous films, including Panna Nikt, Młode Wilki, and the series Matki, żony i kochanki. She also had an Englishspeaking role in Steven Spielberg' s acclaimed Schindler' s List. She spoke to Monika Jaworska about her life, her films and how the English language influences her career.

M.J.: How did you start acting?

In the 16th century the English were at war with the Spanish. Queen Elizabeth I needed information about her enemies for the empire she was starting to build. And she needed a spy to get it. Dr John Dee, a philosopher, alchemist and mathematician was introduced to her, and became her most trusted and brilliant advisor. He was the man who inspired Shakespeare to create the character of Prospero from The Tempest, and the inspiration for Ian Flemings James Bond...

Welcome to the Insett Project Recruitment for the 2nd Postgraduate Diploma Course

We have great pleasure in announcing that recruitment for the 2nd Postgraduate Diploma Course has just started. For detailed information, please contact the Institute of English Studies, University of Łódź, or CODN, Warsaw, or visit our pages