Hi Dear Alan,
I’m really fond of your newsletters.They are literally quite useful.
But this one reminds me of a belief in my country or maybe in my religion,Islam which says that Satan smiled when human beings invented MONEY.Now we know the reason,don’t we?
Best regards,
Morteza
Hi Cts0908,
How are U there in Moscow? You told Alan (a friendly & helpful guide of this Forum) that you will show him some beautiful sights of Moscow if he happens to be there. So, in this context, what do you think about me? Thanks.
Regards
Noren Lee
(M.A in Eng.)
hi every body,
could you explain about the meaning of sentence “just doesn’t grow on trees.” thanks a lot.
hi Alan,
Thank you for your interesting essay. I can’t really know about that the special village. our country also has the bartering purchase, it appears some local special in region of ethnic minority. They don’t need money to buy something but use these things which are the equivalent value to barter. It is a good custom, it make people feel that money is not all. Nowadays, every body are always thinking about money and they feel stress. if you made something you have to sell it, you receive a mount of money and then you will spent it for your life. It seem very complex so i really want to enjoy a cup of coffee or beer by the bartering way, example: by my comment for Alan’s essay and my respect to you. Thank you very much!
best regard!
pmoon.
How about idiom in English,like no pain no gain
Thank you very much for the essay. It helped me to learn a few new expressions about money.
There is one I have heard from one of my American friends: People are funny when it comes to money!
Thank you once again! You are doing a great job on the site and I really enjoy learning that way.
Warm greetings,
Mariana
Hi … we are used to no one who gives us for free, we always has to pay in return to those who give us anything, but when the giving is so great… and the person who is giving has dedicated his education and knowledge to others who needs help and cannot afford to pay money for it… I think the best thing to give him is A BIG THANK YOU and our appriciation and respect for his giving for the pleasure of helping others… I need to learn some other words which describe you and all those kind people like you… Thank you Mr Allan Townend and Mr Torsten… God Bless you.
Aida
Australia
Hello Alan,
I know how embarrassing it can be to get no feedback that is why I decided to send a message to you.
First of all, I want to THANK YOU for the many newsletters that you sent in order to improve my English. They are really interesting and helpful, but the fact is that I don’t like forums. Let me explain. Writing to people all over the world has become one of my hobbies since I “discovered” the Internet. English is another hobby of mine and I find it amazing to use it so much in my e-mails. It is obvious for you that it is not my mother tongue. However, it has become my second language, if not the first, when talking about the Internet.
Well, I find the forums too impersonal and although I have tried to join some and even tried to get in contact with different people , I feel that everyone is a little embarrassed to express his/her views. This is my opinion and I know you are ready to start a debate on this topic…!
I got the “hidden” message of your last newsletter and I agree it is impolite to send no reply; I should send a short message after each newsletter, so you can realize its impact on me, as a reader.
As for the cup of tea, it would be lovely to have one together ( at five o’clock sharp!), but unfortunately that is not possible…! Not yet!
Anyway I will be thinking of it the very first time, maybe each time, when I am having a cup of tea!
Best wishes,
Gabriela
P.S. My intention was to send you a personal message, but this privilege was refused to me, because I am not a good forum member… I am so sorry about it!
The meaning of " Money does not grow on trees " is that you have to work hard if you want money, you cannot just “stand and stare” and pick money as you pick apples from an apple tree that grows on the edge of the road.This saying is addressed especially to children who ask for too much money and ignore the fact that money must not be wasted because it is not easy to get it.
Hi Mamidabi,
Thank you for your kind comments and welcome to the forum. Maybe now that you have taken the plunge and posted a message, you will send some more. Please don’t feel embarrassed about expressing views. We are a friendly lot on this site!
Best wishes,
Alan
Hello there.
I liked this newsletter, it was really interesting…
Thank you Alan 
Hi Alan,
Needless to say you picked the most valuable topic of this season.
Well, we all want money, money and more money. Anything and everything you try to accomplish today has to do with money. I myself wonder ‘what’s the stranger power money has over human lives?’
On the other hand, I like your essay so much on this small five letter word called ‘Money’. While reading few times over and over what I really thought was how beautifully you have written all those words from history to present. I wish I can write that way. Perhaps one day you never know. That reminds me to write and keep writing just like the Chinese, who never thought of sitting back and wait for more farm crops to be produced for coins. Rather they invented the paper money for us. My suggestion for your newsletter would be ‘Restless’. You might want to know why I pick this subject i.e. in reality we all become restless if we have too much money or little.
Thanks for your time.
Shabreena
Hi Alan,
Needless to say you picked the most valuable topic of this season.
Well, we all want money, money and more money. Anything and everything you try to accomplish today has to do with money. I myself wonder ‘what’s the stranger power money has over human lives?’
On the other hand, I like your essay so much on this small five letter word called ‘Money’. While reading few times over and over what I really thought was how beautifully you have written all those words from history to present. I wish I can write that way. Perhaps one day you never know. That reminds me to write and keep writing just like the Chinese, who never thought of sitting back and wait for more farm crops to be produced for coins. Rather they invented the paper money for us. My suggestion for your newsletter would be ‘Restless’. You might want to know why I pick this subject i.e. in reality we all become restless if we have too much money or little.
Thanks for your time.
Shabreena
Hi Alan:
Today, everything has to do with money, but personnally I don’t want alot of money, I rather accomplish my goal to get my certification in veterinary medecine in USA and live comfortably. I hope I can overcome my problem and pass the Toefl. Thank you.
It was a very nice newsletter and the information was very actual.Money is very important now days. Would be a pleasure for me offering you a cup of tea in order to barter the newsletter because I really enjoyed that .I have only one year that I have start working after finishing the university and I during this time I have realized the real value of the money.Thanks again for the newsletter.
Best regards
JOna
Hi Alan,
Everything is going to cost us, in other words we are to pay for everything. I belong to people who never think how to save money. Oh! It is very good to have some money in your pocket or on your card, but, usually, they tend to escape from there as soon as possible. And that’s not too bad, at last you don’t have to bother where to put exessive money and, instead, you are looking for good friends whose heads are not stuffed with bank accounts. There is an old Russian proverb which sounds approximately like this: “Don’t have 100 rubles but have 100 friends.”
Best regards,
Yuri
Hi Yuri,
Thanks for your message. Are we going to hear you on the ‘20 seconds a day message’ part of the forum? Just one small point - I think you need to turn the volume up because I found it difficult to hear you.
Alan
If pub comes from public house. Bar is from bartening???
sorry, bartering
Hi Alan,
Sorry, my home computer is out of order and I am not able to listen to your voice message and record myself on the “20 seconds a day message”, and won’t be able to do it in two or three days. But I am looking forward to do it.
By the way, may I miss the words “do it” after “won’t be able to”?
Thank you,
Yuri