Shinnenkai -- John's Class - January 10, 2009

Date: Saturday, January 10, 2009
Time: 7pm to 9pm
Place: Wataminchi in Shibuya
Cost: Y3200

Please reply to this blog posting by January 7, 2009 if you can come.

George Carlin – The Modern Man

Think you understand English language and culture?
Try this:
George Carlin – The Modern Man
George Carlin was an American Comedian who passed away earlier this year. For over forty years he entertained with a very unusual style. He is very intelligent and highly opinionated about major social issues. His unique perception and ability to communicate made him very popular with people who see the world in a different way (like me). He was brilliant, unique, an original.

Watch this. He speaks very quickly. I encourage you to watch some of his other videos on You Tube. There are many.

Two countries, two ambassadors

Two countries made appointments of goodwill ambassador appointments recently. One in the United Kingdom and the other in Japan. Perhaps we can learn a little about each culture by the assignments they've made?
United Kingdom: Dignity Ambassador for the Elderly

Source: BBC News
In an announcement made May 20,2008:

Broadcaster Sir Michael Parkinson has been appointed a "dignity ambassador" in a government campaign to encourage more respect for older people in care.

Japan: Hello Kitty as Ambassador
Source: Japan Times

One day earlier, May 19, 2008, the Japanese government made an announcement of their own.

The cartoon character Hello Kitty will be appointed Japan's goodwill tourism ambassador to China and Hong Kong, according to government officials.

...No word of an announcement about a Japanese dignity ambassador for the world's oldest and fastest aging population...

Republican National Convention?: Happy to be Canadian

Watching the Republican National Convention makes me really happy that I am Canadian. Notice I didn't say "proud". I am so happy that my grandparents chose to immigrate to Canada in the 1920's. Why do I react in such a way? Seems that America is all about guns and god. And everyone's white. Frankly, it's creepy. That being said, I think McCain will win in November. That's America.

Math, Stats and General Equations

Math, Stats and General Equations

ROMANCE MATHEMATICS

Smart man + smart woman = romance
Smart man + dumb woman = affair
Dumb man + smart woman = marriage
Dumb man + dumb woman = pregnancy
____________ _________ _________

OFFICE ARITHMETIC

Smart boss + smart employee = profit
Smart boss + dumb employee = production
Dumb boss + smart employee = promotion
Dumb boss + dumb employee = overtime
____________ _________ ________

SHOPPING MATH

A man will pay $20 for a $10 item he needs.
A woman will pay $10 for a $20 item that she doesn't need.
____________ _________ ________

GENERAL EQUATIONS & STATISTICS

A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.
____________ _________ ________

HAPPINESS

To be happy with a man, you must understand him a lot
and love him a little. To be happy with a woman,
you must love her a lot and not try to understand her at all.
____________ _________ _________

LONGEVITY

Married men live longer than single men do, but married men
are a lot more willing to die.
____________ _________ _________

PROPENSITY TO CHANGE

A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.
A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, and she does.
____________ _________ ________

DISCUSSION TECHNIQUE

A woman has the last word in any argument.
Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

____________ _________ _________ _________ _

HOW TO STOP PEOPLE FROM BUGGING YOU ABOUT GETTING MARRIED

Old aunts used to come up to me at weddings, poking me in the ribs and cackling, telling me, 'You're next.' They stopped after I started doing the same thing to them at funerals.

Google Chrome Browser Launch

Google launched a new browser today called: Chrome
Read about it here.
and get a real overview of this new open source browser at google: Google Chrome Story.

Download Google's Chrome Internet Browser

Stories as seen in the Search Engine Journal

Do you think this might help?
Download Chrome Browser, download google plate Browser, google browser, download google chrome, download google plate browser,Download Chrome Browser, download google plate Browser, google browser, download google chrome, ...

George Carlin - Remembered - "Save the Planet"

George Carlin - Remembered - "Save the Planet"

Are you superstitious?

Friday the 13th is coming.... on June 13th
13 is an unlucky number in western culture. In East Asian countries "4" is thought to be unlucky and avoided.

Read more about superstition

Artist File 2008 - The NACT Annual Show of Contemporary Art

I've been so quiet here over the past several weeks. Not that there is nothing to write about. On the contrary, there is plenty! I've been so busy online and offline. Hope things are settling now for a couple of weeks. I look forward to writing again. Before I do, I want to introduce a great show - ending soon! - at the NACT.


"Artist File 2008 - The NACT Annual Show of Contemporary Art" Exhibition
Venue: The National Art Center, Tokyo
Schedule: From 2008-03-05 To 2008-05-06
Open April 29th (Tues) & May 6th (Tues). Closed April 30th (Wed).
Address: 7-22-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-8558
Phone: 03-5777-8600

Using English

This is a good site. Simply put. Lots of resources for students and instructors.

http://www.usingenglish.com/

Rice Cost Creating Fears of Asia Unrest

Recently availability of food is becoming a broader issue. Staples such as rice and bananas are becoming more and more expensive.

Business / World Business
High Rice Cost Creating Fears of Asia Unrest
By KEITH BRADSHER
Published: March 29, 2008
The price of rice, a staple in the diets of nearly half the world’s population, has almost doubled on international markets.

Do you think you understand English?

A priest and rabbi and a minister walk into a bar. The bartender says: "Is this some kind of joke?"

Get it?

If you understand English culture you'll get it.