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Birthday

2025年03月17日

Since my birthday is coming up, I thought I would give you a little history (compliments of the Grok AI) about birthdays.

“The celebration of birthdays has a rich and varied history, stretching back thousands of years. The earliest known birthday festivities likely originated in ancient Egypt around 3000 BCE, where pharaohs marked their “birth” as gods upon coronation, rather than their actual birth dates. These events were steeped in divine significance, setting a precedent for honoring individuals on specific days. In ancient Greece, birthdays took a more personal turn. Greeks celebrated the birthdays of gods like Artemis, with offerings of cakes adorned with candles symbolizing moonlight. This practice influenced mortal celebrations, where cakes and candles became symbols of good fortune. The Romans expanded this further, hosting lavish birthday feasts for elites, though commoners rarely marked the occasion. The tradition waned in early Christian Europe, as birthdays were seen as pagan and self-indulgent. However, by the 4th century, Christians began celebrating Jesus’ birth (Christmas), reviving interest in personal birthdays. The modern birthday as we know it—cakes, gifts, and parties—emerged in 18th-century Germany with “Kinderfeste,” children’s celebrations featuring candles for each year of life. Industrialization and mass production later made cakes, cards, and gifts widely accessible, cementing birthdays as a global tradition blending ancient reverence with modern festivity. Today, they’re a universal marker of personal milestones.”

Hope you have a good birthday this year.

Rick

The Eiffel Tower: A Marvel of Engineering and History

2025年03月11日

Have you ever been to Paris? If so, you surely have visited

this tower on the left.

The Eiffel Tower, an iconic symbol of Paris, was completed in March, 1889 for the Exposition Universelle, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. Designed by engineer Gustave Eiffel, the tower was originally met with mixed public reactions. Critics deemed it an eyesore, while others marveled at its audacious iron lattice design, which was revolutionary for its time.

Initially planned to stand for just 20 years, the Eiffel Tower was almost dismantled afterward. However, its value as a radiotelegraph station helped secure its place in the Paris skyline. Interestingly, Adolf Hitler, upon visiting Paris, sought to have the tower demolished, viewing it as a symbol of French nationalism.

Over the years, the Eiffel Tower transformed from a controversial structure into one of the most recognizable landmarks globally. Its graceful silhouette has inspired numerous structures, including the Tokyo Tower, which was designed to serve a similar purpose as a broadcasting antenna.

Today, the Eiffel Tower stands proud at 1,083 feet, attracting millions of visitors each year. With its twinkling lights and breathtaking views of the City of Light, the tower has become a symbol of love, innovation, and resilience—an enduring legacy of human creativity. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a returning admirer, the Eiffel Tower continues to enchant and inspire all who gaze upon it. Which do you fancy, the original or the one which was inspired by it? Alex

Pancake Day in the UK

2025年03月3日

Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Lent – the 40 days leading up to Easter – was traditionally a time of fasting and on Shrove Tuesday, Anglo-Saxon Christians went to confession and were “shriven” (absolved from their sins). A bell would be rung to call people to confession. This came to be called the “Pancake Bell” and is still rung today. Pancake races are also a common part of the celebrations.

Shrove Tuesday always falls 47 days before Easter Sunday, so the date varies from year to year and falls between 3^rd February and 9^th March.

This year, 2025, Shrove Tuesday will fall on 4^th March.

Shrove Tuesday was the last opportunity to use up eggs and fats before embarking on Lent, and pancakes are the perfect way of using up these ingredients.

A pancake is a thin, flat cake, made of batter and fried in a frying pan. A traditional English pancake is very thin and is served immediately. Golden syrup or lemon juice and caster sugar are the usual toppings for pancakes.

The pancake has a very long history and featured in cookery books as far back as 1439. The tradition of tossing or flipping them is almost as old. The ingredients for pancakes can be seen to symbolise four points of significance at this time of year:

Eggs ~ Creation
Flour ~ The staff of life
Salt ~ Wholesomeness
Milk ~ Purity

Pancake races are also held every year all over the UK.　　Richard

Happy Birthday to the Emperor of Japan

2025年02月27日

Since 1868, Japan has celebrated the Emperor’s birthday as a national holiday first on November 3, next on April 29, then on December 23 and now on February 23. In honor of Emperor Naruhito’s 65 birthday, what better time to look at some vocabulary related to ‘emperor’.

Emperor: the male ruler of an empire

Japan is currently the only country with an emperor. He has no role in the government but serves as a symbol of the country performing ceremonial and social duties.

Empress: the female ruler of an empire or the wife of the emperor

Did you know that Empress Masako went to high school in the U.S. and was on the softball team?

Empire: often a large area ruled by a single person

It is believed that the British Empire was the largest empire in history covering almost a quarter of the globe.

Imperial: relating to emperor, empress and empire

The Imperial Hotel near the Imperial Palace in Tokyo was the first place to offer a western style buffet which was named the Imperial Viking in honor of the Scandinavian buffet called smorgasbord.

Emperor penguin: the largest penguin species

Antarctica is home to over half a million emperor penguins.

Now Emperor’s birthday can be more than just a holiday. It is an opportunity to increase your English vocabulary. Erik.

Valentine’s Day

2025年02月17日

Well its Valentine’s Day again, so I decided to research the greatest love song ever. Many responses can be chosen according to individual choices. So, my choice is “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers. “Unchained Melody,” while famously performed by The Righteous Brothers, wasn’t originally theirs. It was written for the 1955 film “Unchained” and initially performed by Todd Duncan. However, The Righteous Brothers’ 1965 version catapulted it to iconic status. Bobby Hatfield’s soaring vocals, imbued with raw emotion and yearning, are the song’s defining feature. His powerful delivery, particularly on the high notes, perfectly captures the song’s desperate plea for love and connection.

The arrangement, with its dramatic strings and swelling orchestration, builds to a powerful crescendo, mirroring the intensity of the lyrics. The song speaks to the pain of separation and the enduring hope of reunion, themes that resonate deeply with listeners. “Unchained Melody” is more than just a love song; it’s an expression of profound longing and unwavering devotion. Its timeless quality is evident in its continued popularity and use in countless films and television shows, solidifying its place as a classic ballad. The Righteous Brothers’ rendition remains the definitive version, a testament to the power of a great vocal performance and a beautifully crafted song. So whatever love song you like, enjoy it with whoever your loved one is.

Rick

Galileo Galilei

2025年02月14日

A Polymath Legend and the “Father of Modern Science”.

On February 15, we recognize the birthday of Galileo Galilei, a true polymath whose genius revolutionized our understanding of the universe. Often hailed as the “father of modern science” by none other than Albert Einstein, Galileo made groundbreaking contributions across astronomy, physics, engineering, and mathematics. His spirit of inquiry and innovative approach set the stage for scientific revolution.
One of his most notable triumphs was championing heliocentrism—the idea that the Earth orbits the Sun, not the other way around.

This revelation didn’t sit well with the Roman Inquisition, the notorious thugs charged with violently enforcing the Catholic Church’s ridiculous beliefs. They charged Galileo with heresy, sentencing him to house arrest for life and forbidding him from publishing his thoughts on the matter. His writings even landed on the Catholic Church’s infamous Index of Forbidden Books (Index Librorum Prohibitorum), a shameful list that stifled intellectual freedom from 1560 to 1966! Incredibly, this list was in effect for over 400 years, banning thousands of book titles and blacklisting the works of Europe’s intellectual elites.

It’s truly mind-boggling that a list like that existed, showcasing how religion and science clashed the former always losing the fight.
Fortunately for Japan Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu realized the danger religion represents and banned the propagation of such absurd beliefs by outright banning the practice of Christianity.
On October 31, 1992, Pope John Paul II finally acknowledged that the Inquisition had erred in condemning Galileo for asserting that the Earth revolves around the Sun.
So, it took the Church a staggering 359 years to admit that Galileo was right—as science always is — truly a marathon of misguided faith!

But hey, better late than never, right? Just another day in the grand saga of reality triumphing over delusion! Galileo’s story serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring conflict between dogma and reason, a battle in which truth, eventually, prevails. Alex

Burns’ Night

2025年02月3日

Every year in Scotland, on 25^th January, is the celebration of “Burns’ Night”. Almost considered a 2^nd National Day after St Andrews’ Day in November, this is the night where Scots celebrate the life and works of Robert Burns, a poet and lyricist, and arguably one of Scotland’s most notable figures.

Robert Burns was born in Alloway, Scotland, on 25^th January, 1759. He died in Dumfries, Scotland, on 21^st July, 1796. He was a bard (poet) and wrote many poems, lyrics and other pieces that addressed political and social issues.

His best-known work is “Auld Lang Syne”, which is sung at New Year’s Eve celebrations in Scotland, parts of the United Kingdom, and other places around the world.

Robert Burns is one of Scotland’s most important cultural icons and is well known among Scottish expats or descendants around the world.

He is also known as: Rabbie Burns”; the “Bard of Ayrshire”; “Scotland’s favourite son”; and in Scotland “The Bard”.

A typical Burns night menu would usually consist of:

Cock-a-leekie soup.

A traditional Scottish soup made with leeks, peppered chicken stock and thickened with rice or barley.

Haggis with neeps (mashed swede) and tatties (mashed potatoes).

A traditional haggis recipe describes haggis as “sheep’s ‘pluck’ (heart, liver, and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally encased in the animal’s stomach and boiled”. Ingredients are sheep stomach, heart and lungs of one lamb, onions, oatmeal, salt, pepper, stock, and water, with optional ingredients dried coriander, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It can be boiled, baked, or deep fried.

Scottish raspberry cranachan dessert

Cranachan is a traditional Scottish dessert of fresh raspberries, oats honey, cream (and optional whisky).

Scotch whisky tasting.

And of course, Scottish dancing; Ceilidh (Kay -lee).

Richard

The Year of the Snake

2025年01月27日

Snakes, just the thought of these legless, slithering, forked-tongue creatures causes many people to shutter, yet every 12 years snakes come front and center when the year of the snake rolls around. While most people think of the animal when they hear ‘snake’, there are other ways in English that the word ‘snake’ can be used.
Snake (verb) to move, twist and wind like a snake:
The river snakes through the mountain valley.
The hikers snaked their way up the slope of Mount Fuji.
The line of people waiting to eat at the famous ramen shop snaked around the corner.
Snake/Snake in the grass (noun) an untrustworthy person who will harm or deceive others:
He is a snake/snake in the grass, so you shouldn’t trust him.
I thought we were friends, but it turns out she was a snake/snake in the grass.
The mayor was a snake/snake in the grass and stole from the city.
Snakebit (adjective): experiencing bad luck or failure:
The team was snakebit this year. They had so many players injured.
He seems snakebit. He keeps having his job applications rejected.
Some business locations seem snakebit. They just can keep a tenant.
Snake eyes (noun): rolling two dice and ones come up:
If you roll snake eyes, you’ll win the game.
What is more common, rolling snake eyes or boxcars (two sixes)?
Not snake eyes again! I just can’t win this game.

Erik

Jimmy Carter

2025年01月20日

Jimmy Carter was one of the first presidents I remembered growing up. I am from Georgia in the U.S., and Carter was the Governor of Georgia when I was in elementary school. He passed away on December 29^th of last year. He will always be remembered as a kind and decent man. Here is a brief history of his life.

James Earl Carter Jr., known as Jimmy Carter, was born on October 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia. He served as the 39th President of the United States from 1977 to 1981. Before his presidency, Carter was the 76th Governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975 and a member of the Georgia State Senate from 1963 to 1967. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1946 and served in the U.S. Navy, achieving the rank of lieutenant. He is known for managing his family peanut farm before becoming involved in politics.

Carter’s presidency was marked by significant achievements, including the Camp David Accords, which brought peace between Egypt and Israel, and the creation of the Department of Energy and the Department of Education. However, his presidency also faced challenges such as the Iran hostage crisis and economic difficulties.

After leaving office, Carter became known for his humanitarian work and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his efforts in diplomacy and advocacy. He was the longest-lived president in U.S. history, passing away on December 29, 2024, at the age of 100.

Rick

Do you like flying? Do you like flying fast?

2025年01月14日

Meet the Concorde: A Revolutionary Supersonic Jet

On March 2, 1969, the Concorde, a joint project between British Aerospace (UK) and Aérospatiale (France), made its maiden flight from Toulouse, France and began scheduled flights with British Airways (BA) and Air France (AF) on 21 January 1976, 7 years later. This supersonic jet was a game-changer in commercial aviation, offering unparalleled speed and luxury to passengers. The Concorde’s sleek design and delta wing configuration enabled it to reach speeds of up to Mach 2.04 (2,166 km/h) and altitudes of 18km (commercial flights usually cruise around 10km).

The Concorde’s revolutionary design was driven by the need for faster transatlantic travel. With a flight time of just 3 hours and 30 minutes from New York to London, the Concorde reduced travel time by nearly 50%. This was a significant improvement over traditional subsonic jets, which took around 7-8 hours to complete the same journey.

The Concorde was a technological marvel, but it was not without its challenges. The high operating costs, limited range, and environmental concerns (such as sonic booms) made it a difficult aircraft to maintain. Additionally, the Concorde’s complex design and high-speed requirements made it prone to technical issues.
Tragically, the Concorde’s career was cut short by a fatal accident on July 25, 2000, when Air France Flight 4590 crashed on takeoff from Paris, killing all 109 people on board. The investigation revealed that a piece of debris on the runway caused a tire blowout, leading to a fuel leak and subsequent engine failure. The accident led to the Concorde’s retirement in 2003, marking the end of an era in commercial aviation.

However, progress never stops and now there are new contenders to continue where the Concorde left off. One of the them is Boom Technology, Inc. They are building a supersonic airliner under the name Boom Overture, designed to cruise at Mach 1.7 or 975 knots (1,806 km/h). Let’s hope it becomes reality and we can all enjoy supersonic flights in the not too distant future.

Alex

Christmas Cakes and puddings

2024年12月23日

The Christmas cake is a long-standing tradition that started all of the way back in the 16th century! This tradition has been carried through families from all over the world and has many variations depending on the recipes that have been passed down over the years.

The Christmas cake is a very popular item around the holidays with variations of cakes with frosting, mixed spices, powdered sugar, orange zest, other fruits and more!

In England, Christmas cake is a tradition that began as plum porridge. People ate the porridge on Christmas Eve, using it to line their stomachs after a day of fasting. Soon dried fruit, spices and honey were added to the porridge mixture, and eventually it turned into Christmas pudding.

Then, in the 16th century, oatmeal was removed from the original recipe, and butter, wheat flour and eggs were added. These ingredients helped hold the mixture together and in what resulted in a boiled plum cake. Richer families that had ovens began making fruit cakes with marzipan, an almond sugar paste, seasonal dried fruit and spices. The spices represented the exotic eastern spices brought by the Wise Men. This cake then became known as “Christmas cake.”

In Scotland, the traditional Scottish Christmas cake, also known as the Whisky Dundee, is very popular. It is a light crumbly cake with currants, raisins, cherries and Scotch whisky.

There are other types of accompaniment cakes such as an apple creme cake and mincemeat cakes or pies. Christmas mincemeat is a mixture of dried fruits, spices, sugar and nuts; which can also be steamed and made in to a Christmas pudding. The apple creme cake is made with apples, other fruit, raisins, eggs, cream cheese and whipping cream.

Generally speaking, all Christmas cakes are made in advance. Many people make them in November, keeping the cake upside down in an airtight container. A small amount of brandy, sherry or whisky is poured into holes in the cake every week until Christmas. This process is called “feeding” the cake. The cake will then last for several months and beyond.

Richard

Happy Christmas

The Chosen

2024年12月16日

With the Christmas season upon us, what better time to delve into the reason for Christmas, Jesus. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Israel and at the age of 30 began his work which involved healing the brokenhearted, bringing sight to the blind, setting free the oppressed, destroying the work of the devil, sharing the Good News, bringing peace and joy and saving sinners. To help do this work, Jesus chose 12 men and along the way accumulated a number of other followers.The Chosen is a multi-season TV series that focuses on Jesus, the 12 men he chose and others who became his followers. Being a historical drama, The Chosen is based on the Bible with artistic liberty taken to tell and connect stories and develop characters. As of today, four seasons have been released with a total of 34 episodes. Season five will soon be available, and more are in the works. The show can be watched on The Chosen website or through The Chosen app and is available in over 50 languages including Japanese. Being dependent on public support, it is one of the largest crowd-funded projects ever and also one of the most-watched shows with over 200 million viewers all over the world and over 770 million episode views as of June, 2024.

As I am very fond of the Bible and the Truth that it proclaims, I have greatly enjoyed watching The Chosen, and it has me brought me some deeper insights into the Bible. Aside from the wonderful story The Chose tells, it is very well made with excellent acting, costumes and sets. I heartily recommend this show to one and all. Merry Christmas.

Erik

The Grinch

2024年12月9日

One of my favorite Christmas cartoons growing up was “How The Grinch Who Stole Christmas”. I always felt sorry for the poor dog who was the Grinch’s pet and enjoyed the narration by Boris Karloff. The cartoon is based on the book by Dr. Seuss.

It follows the Grinch, a cranky, solitary creature who attempts to spoil the Christmas plans by stealing Christmas gifts and decorations from the homes of the nearby town of Whoville on Christmas Eve. However, as he witnesses the towns unwavering spirit, a transformation occurs within him. Moved by their resilience and kindness, the Grinch returns the stolen items, realizing the true meaning of Christmas lies not in material possessions but in the hearts of others. The Grinch realizes that Christmas is not all about money and presents.

As we enter into the Christmas season may we all realize that the love and respect we show to family, friends and acquaintances really make the “Christmas Spirit”. Merry Christmas!

Rick

The most famous man who may have never lived.

2024年12月5日

A magician (turning water to wine, walking on water, rising from the dead, etc.) who may or may not have been born in December (or 2024 years ago for that matter).

This is December again so it’s time to talk about the elephant in the room, JC, aka Jesus Christ. In the realm of religious mythology, few narratives have captured the imagination quite like the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. However, upon closer examination, this tale of divine conception and miraculous events is riddled with inconsistencies and uncertainties.

If he had lived then first and foremost, the exact date of his birth remains a mystery. Despite the popular belief that he was born on the early morning of December 25, there is no historical evidence to support this claim. In fact, it is widely accepted that Jesus was not even born in the year 1 AD.

Furthermore, our knowledge of Jesus’ early life is woefully inadequate. We have no reliable information about his formative years, leaving us to speculate about the experiences and influences that shaped his worldview. And what of his earthly step-father, Joseph? Save for a few fleeting references in religious texts, we have precious little information about this enigmatic figure.

But, of course, the most fantastical claim surrounding Jesus’ birth is that of the virgin birth. The notion of a woman conceiving without the involvement of a male is, to put it mildly, implausible. I am pretty sure those of you with children know how this works. Except the religious types…

And yet, this miraculous conception is a cornerstone of Christian theology.

As for Jesus himself, we have no record of him ever having a romantic relationship or experiencing the joys and heartaches of human love with either gender, man or woman. And yet, we are expected to believe that he was fully human, capable of experiencing the full range of human emotions.

Furthermore, the idea of going to heaven after death is a fanciful notion that defies logic and reason. The belief in a heavenly realm, separate from the earthly one, is a comforting thought, but it is just that – a thought, an imaginary tale, unsupported by empirical evidence, for people who are weak and deathly afraid of dying.

Finally, let us not forget the practice of forcing children to study the Bible and attend church. This form of indoctrination is not only misguided but also tantamount to child abuse and brainwashing.

In conclusion, the story of Jesus’ birth is fraught with inconsistencies and uncertainties. While it may provide comfort and solace to believers, it is a tall tale that is grounded only in faith not in fact. And, as such, it is a story that should be approached with a critical and discerning eye and it should be clear to everyone who has reached the age of reason that it is just a fairytale told by religious hustlers to intellectually challenged “believers”.

Alex

England’s Late Autumn Feeling

2024年11月25日

Late autumn is an excellent time to be in England. This is especially apparent when the inky blanket of night draws in even earlier, so it is a time to snuggle into layers of plush woollen knitwear. You can even curl up with your first hot chocolate of the season with swirls of cream and fluffy pink marshmallows or enjoying crisp golden leaves crunching underfoot.

England is famous for its weather – and us British love talking about it! To experience the country looking its best, late autumn is a beautiful time to visit England. Autumn colours are generally at their best in the first two to three weeks of November: indeed, it is this period rather than late October which normally sees the finest displays. We’re into the thick of autumn in November with lowering temperatures and robust colours for leaf-peeping. Daylight hours continue to dwindle as the month progresses, with sunsets occurring before 4 pm by the end of the month. During this period, we see an average maximum temperature of 10°C and a minimum of 3°C.

There’s no doubt about it, when autumn is in full swing, the UK looks absolutely superb. As summer slips away, the British countryside transfigures into a shock of reds, yellows, and oranges, as the trees and forests change colour.

Blackberries are also a common sight in UK hedgerows during autumn. If they don’t find their way into a lovely crumble, they make a lovely on-the-go snack, picked right from the hedgerow.

Richard

Useful English: Abbreviations, Initialisms and Acronyms

2024年11月18日

Do you know what abbreviations, initialisms and acronyms are?

While you may not know those words specifically, you come across them with words such as Labs, footy, BC or JAXA.
An abbreviation is any word or phrase that is shorted: Lab instead of Labrador Retriever, footy for football/soccer, BC for Before Christ and JAXA for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency.
Initialisms are abbreviations that take the first letter of two or more consecutive words and then say them as letters. Initialisms are prevalent in English and provide a useful way to take something long and make it short.
You can find these all throughout government agencies such as the NHS (National Health Service) in the UK, media, CNN (Cable News Network) in the USA, universities, UNSW Sydney (University of New South Wales Sydney) in Australia, and many more contexts.
Initialisms are also used with names such as JFK for the 35th president of the USA, John Fitzgerald Kennedy and MJ for basketball great Michael Jordan. While these are well known name initialisms, it is common for everyday people in the USA use their own initials on documents when a full signature is not required.
Acronyms are also abbreviations and are formed when the first letters of words in a sequence are used and are said as a word not as letters as with initialisms. Some well-known acronyms are NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), PIN (Personal Identification Number) and Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity). On the other hand, there are some common words that many people don’t know are acronyms. A couple examples are scuba (Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus) and laser (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation).
Have you ever taken an existing word and turned it into an acronym? If so, that is called a backronym. An example is SOS where Save Our Ship/Souls was added later. Backronyms can be useful to help expand one’s understanding of something such as grace in the Bible having the backronym of God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense.
Have fun expanding your understanding of English with the various ways that words and phrases are turned into abbreviations.

Erik

Explaining The U.S. Presidential Election

2024年11月11日

Every four years, on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November, the presidential election is held. This year it is November 5^th. Voters from all across the United States can go to voting sites or vote by mail, to vote for the next president. They use ballots, which are filled out secretly inside voting booths; if by mail from their homes or dropped off at a ballot box. A lot happens before the election. The United States has two major political parties and a few minor parties. These political parties are groups of people who have joined together and share a core set of values that are very important to their party. These core values are called the party’s platform. Each party must choose who it wants to be president. The choice should be someone who represents that party’s platform. It should also be someone who represents the values of the American public in general. Choosing the best candidate can be very difficult, because it is not always easy to know where the candidates stand on the issues, or important topics. This means you have to watch the candidates carefully and choose the best one. The candidates also must choose a running mate who will be the vice-president. Before the election, the candidates give speeches and have debates. People listen to these speeches to understand what a candidate believes. Information is also available through television, newspapers, radio, podcasts, and the internet to help people choose. After the election, the votes are counted in each state. Now comes the difficult part. The results in a state determine which electors are selected for that state. All the electoral votes for that state go for the candidate that gets the most votes in that state. The electoral votes for all 50 states are added and the candidate with the majority of the votes wins! How many electoral votes does each state get? The number of electors from each state is based on the state’s representation in Congress. For example, the most populous state, California, has 54 electors. The least populous states—Alaska, Delaware, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming—have three electors each. How many electoral votes are required to win? There is a total of 538 electoral votes. To be elected, a candidate must receive a majority of the electoral votes—at least 270 votes. How do we arrive at 538 electoral votes? 100 senators plus 435 representatives in the House plus 3 electors for Washington, D.C. = 538 electoral votes. The elected president will serve for four years. In four years, there will be another election. The President often runs again, for re-election (this can only happen once with each president).

Rick

Darwin’s ‘On the Origin of Species’: A Splendid Slap in the Face of Creationism

2024年11月4日

It was almost to the date (November 24) 165 years ago that the mentioned slap happened.

In the annals of scientific discovery, Charles Darwin’s ‘On the Origin of Species’ stands as a monumental work that forever altered our understanding of the natural world. Published in 1859, this seminal book introduced the theory of evolution by natural selection, a concept that challenged the church’s dogma of Creationism and set the stage for a profound reevaluation of our place in the universe.

Darwin’s groundbreaking work was born from his five-year voyage aboard the HMS Beagle, during which he observed the diverse flora and fauna of the world. He noticed that species seemed to be adapted to their specific environments, leading him to question the fixed, immutable nature of species as proposed by the church.

‘On the Origin of Species’ proposed that all species of organisms arise and develop through the natural selection of small, inherited variations that increase the individual’s ability to compete, survive, and reproduce. This process, Darwin argued, has been acting on life on Earth for billions of years, leading to the incredible diversity of life we see today.

The publication of ‘On the Origin of Species’ sparked a heated debate between science and religion, with many religious leaders vehemently opposing the theory. However, the evidence in favor of evolution has only grown stronger over time, as new discoveries in genetics, paleontology, and other fields continue to support Darwin’s theory.

You might be thinking, “What’s so special about a book about animals, for heaven’s sake?” Well, this was no ordinary book. It was a veritable sledgehammer to the dogmatic beliefs of the Church, a slap in the face of Creationism so hard that even the most devout of believers had to rub their cheeks for days. For up until Darwin, the world was believed to have been created in six days, about 6,000 or so years ago, with each species perfectly formed and ready for its role in the grand cosmic ballet. Yeah, you read that right, all of about 8,7 million species currently present on Earth were created in one fell swoop by a mad scientist in the sky. Suuure….

But Darwin, with his keen eye for observation and his unapologetic disregard for the status quo, proposed a radical idea: species evolve over time through a process he called natural selection.

This was a slap so hard, it echoed through the ages. It was a whack that said, “Science, not religion, is the key to understanding our world.” It was a spank that said, “The world is not a divine tapestry, but a dynamic, ever-changing canvas.”

So, the next time someone tries to tell you that the world is only 6,000 years old, or that humans and apes don’t share a common ancestor, remember Darwin and his splendid wallop.

Remember that science, not religion, is the only true description of our world. Alex

Guy Fawkes

2024年10月28日

Remember, Remember, the 5th of November, Gunpowder, Treason and Plot!

Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night and Fireworks Night, is an annual commemoration observed on 5 November, primarily in Great Britain, involving bonfires and fireworks displays.

Its history begins with the events of 5 November 1605, when Guy Fawkes, a member of the Gunpowder Plot, was arrested while guarding explosives the plotters had placed beneath the House of Lords. The Catholic plotters had intended to assassinate Protestant king James I and his parliament. Celebrating that the king had survived, people lit bonfires around London. Months later, the Observance of 5th November Act mandated an annual public day

of thanksgiving for the plot’s failure.

So, in Britain the words of a children’s nursery rhyme “Remember, Remember the 5th of November, Gunpowder, Treason and Plot” are chanted as fireworks fly and bonfires gradually consume a human effigy known as the ‘Guy’.

Richard

What Is That in English?

2024年10月21日

The other day I came across the Japanese word ‘satoyama’ (里山) and upon asking several people about this word, I found that not only does it have different meanings depending on each person’s experience, but it also has no simple translation in English. From the people I talked to and an online translator, the definition I came up with for satoyama is an undeveloped wooded area near a populated area.

Satoyama is just one of many Japanese words and phrases that do not translate easily into English. Let’s look at a few others.

Itadakimasu (いただきます): This ever-present statement at meal times it often translated as ‘bon appetit’ or ‘let’s eat’ but these don’t carry the deeper nuance of itadakimasu which expresses humbly receiving something with gratitude. A closer comparison is when someone prays and thanks God for the meal.

Tsundoku (積読): Do you know a bookworm who has piles of unread books lying around? If so, that is basically how you have to translate tsundoku into English.

Wabi-sabi (侘び寂び): This is often translated as beauty in imperfection, but with wabi-sabi encompassing simplicity, empty spaces, asymmetry and even silence, it has a much deeper meaning.

Often these words that clearly define something in one language become loanwords in another such as English adopting tsunami, doppelganger (from German), and C’est la vie (from French). Who knows, as more and more people learn about and visit Japan, maybe the above words will become part of other languages’ vernacular. Erik

Scaremare　2024

2024年10月14日

With the Halloween season upon us, I would recommend going to an annual event in Lynchburg, Virginia started by Liberty University called Scaremare. Almost as old as the university itself, Liberty’s Scaremare has grown to become one of the largest events of its kind in the Southeast. For over 40 years, people have been traveling from all over Virginia and even from other states to take a tour of fun-house rooms and view scenes of death to be ultimately confronted with the question: “What happens when I die?” In small groups, people walk through a 20-minute tour in the woods and then through a house with different scenes. At the end are tents where an evangelistic message is presented. This year there are a number of new outside scenes for visitors. The event was started by youth pastors at Thomas Road Baptist Church in 1972 as a creative fall outreach. As Liberty developed its School of Religion, the Center for Youth Ministries began facilitating the event as a way to equip and train students with practical outreach opportunities for the community. Since its inception, Scaremare has attracted more than 300,000 people from Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida. It has become a popular event for church youth groups and college students.

Rick

Famous dates in history

2024年10月7日

Oct 12, 1492 – Do you know what happened on that day?

Well of course the discovery of America!

As the Silk Road to India, parts of East Asia, including China was closed to Christian traders after the fall of the Mongol empire a new trade route was sought by the European traders and explorers.

On August 3, 1492, Christopher Columbus set sail across the Atlantic with three ships (Santa Maria, Niña and Pinta), embarking on a journey that would change the course of history. Although it has been known for a long time that the Earth was a sphere, Columbus’ venturing into the unknown, driven by the desire to reach Asia to re-establish the very profitable spice trade via a new trade route, was still a remarkably brave act. His successful landing in the Bahamas in the Caribbean on Oct 12, 1492 marked the beginning of European exploration, colonization and exploitation of the Americas.

In case you are wondering why America is not called, for instance, “Columbus Land” here is the explanation: Columbus refused to acknowledge that the lands he visited and claimed for Spain were not part of Asia, in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary. This explains, in part, why the American continent was named after the Florentine (a person from Florence aka. Firenze, Italy) explorer Amerigo Vespucci—who received credit for recognizing it as a “New World“—and not after Columbus. Amerigo → America.

Upon reaching the islands, Columbus encountered indigenous peoples, whom he named Indians. His arrival marked the beginning of a tumultuous era. Utilizing his authority given to him by the Spanish queen and king and the support of Spain, he sought to impose Catholicism on the indigenous peoples, naturally with force. Those who resisted faced brutal repercussions, including death and enslavement. Such acts, shrouded in the guise of religious obligation, reveal a brutal zealotry that defined this era of exploration. The Catholic Church, eager to expand its influence, played a significant role in this conquest. Pope Alexander VI, on May 4, 1493, issued a papal bull, the Inter Caetera, granting official ownership of the New World to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain. The Pope’s declaration ultimately had dire consequences for native inhabitants of the Americas. Beginning in 1514 Spanish conquerors adopted “the Requirement,” an ultimatum in which Indians were forced to accept “the Church as the Ruler and Superior of the whole world” or face persecution.

One must, however, question the Church’s right to claim ownership of faraway lands inhabited by indigenous peoples. The Catholic Church, notorious for its violent methods of conversion, tended to overlook the principles of peace and understanding in its quest for dominance. One can’t help but roll one’s eyes at the irony of a Church preaching love and peace while wielding swords and crosses. It’s comforting to know that wherever you go, a little faith can justify a lot of violence!

Columbus’s discovery of America marked the beginning of a new era, one marred by conquest, forced conversion, and controversy. It also started the wholesale plunder of whatever resources the new-found land had to offer, first by the Spanish and Portuguese and then later on, of course, by the British as they are never far behind when it comes to stealing from other countries, nations or people.

You can just ask the First Nations in the US and Canada about their experience with them. Oops, you actually can’t because they were mostly exterminated by those Western European settlers.

The legacy of this voyage continues to shape our understanding of history, serving as a stark reminder of the complexities, contradictions and mostly naked greed inherent in human nature. Alex

England’s Early Autumn Feeling

2024年09月30日

Early Autumn in England is called a shoulder season, meaning that most places are quieter than the months before, during the sunny crush of peak-season summer. Early autumn can often feel very much like summer, of course much quieter, and you can expect at least a few days of soft, hazy warmth.

The end of September brings the Autumn Equinox. This is one of just two moments every year when day and night are of equal length before the sun dips below the horizon and the northern hemisphere experiences six months of longer nights than days. This indicates the official first day of autumn, but the longer nights also present the perfect opportunity for stargazing. So, go outside on a nice clear night with a blanket and enjoy the stars.

With an average maximum temperature of 18°C and a minimum of 10°C, September is the perfect month to visit England if you are looking to get out and about explore the country. With an average of just ten days of rainfall, this is an ideal time to get out hiking as the country is neither too cold nor wet. The Peak District, New Forest and Cotswolds offer some of the best walks to enjoy the turning of the seasons as autumn colours set the countryside ablaze

Richard

What Is Yours but Others Use It More Than You?

2024年09月23日

Can you think of something that is yours but others use it more than you? It’s your name.

Our names identify us and, in some cases, may shape who we are through the name’s meaning. By the way, do you know the meaning of your name? In Japan it is more straightforward with names being written in kanji, but in many cultures, names have meanings that are rooted in a location, occupation or characteristic. Then there is the issue of how common or unusual a name is. Common names, while being well known and easy to recognize, can come with misidentification. On the other hand, unusual names, while standing out, can leave people confused or struggling to read let alone remember. So, have you ever wondered how common a name is or the meaning of it? It’s well known that Suzuki is one of the most common names in Japan, but where does it rank? Cruise can mean to fly, drive, or sail at a constant speed or to sail from place to place, but are either of those the meaning of Tom Cruise’s name?
To answer these questions there is a handy website called Forebears. This site not only provides name meanings, but also the name’s ranking in the world and frequency within the countries that it occurs. Using Forebears, I found that Suzuki is the 283rd most common surname (last name) in the world and number two in Japan. Cruise, according to Forebears, comes from the British Isles meaning merry; brisk, lively.
I have a German friend who lives in Kyoto, and I looked up his surname, Schmoecker. on Forebears and found that there is one incidence of that name occurring in Japan. It is fun to think that I might know the one and only Schmoecker in Japan. So, if you are curious about the frequency of a name and/or its meaning, check out Forebears and explore the world of names. Erik

Friday the 13th

2024年09月16日

This September there is a Friday the 13^th. Plain and simple, Friday the 13th is a day for bad luck. Are you superstitious? Then, Friday the 13th is a day you may look forward to with fear! Friday the 13th, is an unlucky day, a day when bad things can happen. Whatever you do, don’t walk under a ladder, and don’t let a black cat cross your path on this day. Throughout most of recorded history, the number 13 has been seen as an unlucky number. Historically, and perhaps a bit odd in today’s world, Friday has been viewed as an unlucky day of the week. We find this hard to believe today. After all, Friday is TGIF (Thank Goodness It’s Friday)!! However, in days gone by, when you put the unlucky day of Friday, together with the unlucky number 13, many people believe only bad things can happen.

Friday the 13th Trivia

Many buildings and skyscrapers do not have a 13th floor.
Many people will not allow 13 people at the table. If there is exactly 13 people present, a second table is set up.
The captain of a ship would not go out to sea with a crew of 12. Including the captain, that made 13 people.

Like any other special or wacky day, I encourage you to fully embrace the day and have fun with it. But, don’t stay in your room in fear of this day. You’d miss all of the fun and excitement!

Friday the 13th Superstitions

Don’t let a black cat cross your path.
Don’t walk under a ladder.
Don’t use the number 13. Better yet, don’t even look or hear the number.
Many hotels do not have a floor named the 13th floor.
In tarot cards, 13 is the death card.

Rick

For whom the bell tolls – at noon, every day…

2024年09月9日

The Heroic Defense of Nándorfehérvár:A Battle that Reshaped History

Do you know why church bells toll at noon in most European cities? Well, here is the story behind it:

In the 15th century the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire was expanding into Europe.
In the summer of 1456, the Hungarian city of Nándorfehérvár (modern-day Belgrade, the capital of Serbia) became the scene of a legendary battle between a much smaller Hungarian army and the formidable Ottoman forces. Led by the brilliant general János Hunyadi, the Hungarian defenders—numbering between 5,000 and 7,000—faced an invading force of approximately 60,000 to 70,000 Turkish soldiers. Against all odds, the Hungarians held their ground for 18 days, demonstrating remarkable heroism and determination.
One pivotal moment in this epic siege occurred when a Turkish soldier planted their flag on the tower. In a dramatic act of bravery, one Hungarian defender Dugovics Titusz grabbed the Turkish soldier and his flag and pulled them both down into the depths, thus saving the fortress from imminent capture while sacrificing his own life.
In Rome Pope Calixtus III aware of the gravity of the situation, called for the ringing of church bells worldwide at noon to rally support for the besieged Hungarians. To this day, churches around the globe continue this tradition, a powerful reminder of a moment when courage prevailed against all odds.

Of course, the Pope wouldn’t offer financial or military support because, as we all know, the best defense against swords is a prayer to an imaginary bearded man in the sky. And it’s much easier to ring bells for 5 min at noon then actually go and fight but hey, the Christians have always been big on words and much smaller on action when it came to help the Hungarians fight muslim invasion of Europe.

After the battle ended the plague broke out because of the tens of thousands of dead bodies around the remains of the fortress and unfortunately Hunyadi tragically succumbed to it just three weeks later, highlighting the heavy toll of the battle. With him died one of the best Hungarian general ever and the man who single handedly defended Europe against the muslim invasion of the 15th century, for no Ottoman army marched against Europe for the next 70 years.

One could ask the question why Hunyadi didn’t just let the Turkish army pass and move against the Christian West, which he should have done thereby saving the lives of countless Hungarians in the following two centuries. Instead, he chose to stand and fight and spill precious Hungarian blood defending those useless Christians in Western Europe. But that’s another story for another time.
There you have it, an interesting piece of European history with connection to today. Alex

Bristol balloon festival August

2024年09月5日

The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is an annual four day free summer festival of hot air ballooning in Bristol, England. Teams from the UK and other parts of the world bring their hot air balloons to the site and participate in mass ascents where as many as 100 balloons may launch at a time. The event was first held in 1979, building on a strong local tradition of ballooning in and around Bristol, stretching back to the eighteenth century. The festival is now one of the largest in Europe. It is common to have crowds of over 100,000 on each of the four days of the festival. It takes place in a large country estate, Ashton Court. Mass launches are made twice a day, at 6am and 6pm, subject to weather conditions.　　　　Richard

How Many Languages Are You Speaking?

2024年09月2日

Last weekend I went with a friend to a café in a plaza, and we talked about a tsunami related drama. Did you know that the above sentence, while being English, used words from four different languages? That’s right. In that sentence there is French, Spanish, Japanese and Greek. Languages all over the world take words from other languages and make them their own. These are called loanwords. Sometimes the word’s spelling and/or pronunciation is slightly changed to fit the new language, but usually, it is very close to the original language. Food items and cultural practices are common loanwords such as the Japanese words sushi, tofu, judo and manga now being part of not only English, but many other languages as well. Over the years, many words from many of the world’s languages worked their way into English, but now, English is the world’s leading supplier of loanwords due to its global use. So, in the opening sentence which said that I went to a café in a plaza and talked about a tsunami related drama, do you know which words are the French, Spanish, Japanese, and Greek loanwords? They are café from French, plaza from Spanish, tsunami from Japanese and drama from Greek. Knowing this, it makes you wonder, how many languages are you speaking each time you say something?

Erik

Tell a Joke Day

2024年08月29日

“What did one ocean say to the other ocean?
Nothing, it just waved.”

When is Tell a Joke Day? Tell a Joke Day is always August 16.

You’ll do anything for a laugh, right? If so, this holiday is definitely made for you. I hope your day is filled with chuckles and laughs.

No doubt about it. this day will be a fun-filled day, with lots of laughter. To fully participate and enjoy this day, just tell some jokes. You can do it in person or pass along a few humorous emails. That’s easy enough to do. The more jokes you tell, the more fun this day will be. We also encourage you to listen to many jokes today. Everybody is getting into the act, and in order to tell a joke, someone has to be present to listen to the joke.

How to Celebrate and Participate in Tell a Joke Day:

 Pull your old tried and true jokes out of your memory or wherever you’ve written them.
 Tell your favorite jokes.
 Send funny emails and texts.
 Start every conversation with one-liners.
 Have a competition with your friends to see who can tell the funniest joke.

Rick

The Olympics: A Love Story Between Gold Medals and National Pride

2024年08月12日

Ah, the Olympics! The glorious event that brings the world together every four years—unless you’re Japan, in which case you get to host it twice! Remember Tokyo 2020? It was a dazzling display of athleticism, cultural pride, and the occasional awkward moment of athletes competing in empty stadiums.

Now, when we think about the most popular sports, some tend to stand out. Take judo, for example. Japan has, unsurprisingly, dominated this martial art like they own the patent on flipping people over! They have won more gold medals in total than the next 5 countries combined!

Then there’s water polo. Hungary has basically taken the goldfish and turned it into a national sport. Their ability to swim and score at the same time is enough to make anyone wonder if they’ve all been secretly practicing since birth. Their gold tally matches the next three countries’ in total!

Let’s not overlook athletics, where the USA and Jamaica battle it out like it’s the ultimate episode of “Survivor.” Sprinting, hurdles, and the occasional dramatic fall complete the spectacle.

Meanwhile, gymnastics? That glitter-loaded sport where China, Japan and the USA perform mind-boggling feats—because apparently, being able to flip in mid-air while maintaining the perfect smile is a thing!

So, as nations compete for shiny medals, one thing is clear: the Olympics are like a global reality show—inspiring, thrilling, and always a bit dramatic! Alex

Phenomenal Rainbows

2024年08月5日

Drizzle at sunset results in spectacular pink/red rainbows. Many weather watchers in the UK have been captivated by the sight of rainbows at sunset over the past few days. For some parts of the UK this brought some much-needed colour to dreich summer days. So how do these beautiful rainbows occur?
Pink/red rainbows form in the same way as the usual multicolour ones, from light reflecting off the rear internal surface of water droplets in the atmosphere. However, during sunrise and sunset, rays from the sun travel a longer path through the lower atmosphere. These rays are scattered by air molecules and dust. Shorter-wavelength blues and greens are scattered the most, so the remaining light is richer in longer-wavelength reds and yellows. As the majority of the transmitted light is now in the red spectrum, this is the light seen reflected back from the water droplets, resulting in an almost exclusively pink/red rainbow.

Richard

The Nostalgia of Summer Treats

2024年07月29日

The Nostalgia of Summer Treats

Summer is full of childhood memories with its time off from school, family trips, various activities, time in the water, and summer treats. While much of what was experienced in childhood decreases in adulthood, enjoying summer treats is something that can readily be done and often takes us on a trip down memory lane.

The summer treat that I fondly remember enjoying as I grew up in California and Arizona was Otter Pops. Otter Pops are one of several brands of freeze pops sold in the United States. Freeze pops have a variety of names depending on the country such as freeze pop and freezer pop in the United States, freezie in Canada, ice pole and ice pop in the United Kingdom, icy pole in Australia and pokkin ice (ポッキンアイス) in Japan.

When I was growing up, Otter Pops only had six flavors with my favorite being Alexander the Grape. Now there are 10 flavors as they added a tropical assortment that features fruit punch, mango, coconut, and pineapple.

I have not had an Otter Pop in years, but just seeing images of them takes me to many nostalgic memories from the summers in my childhood. So, what summer treat takes you on a trip down memory lane? Erik

Play Day: Celebrating the Power of Play

2024年07月22日

There’s a day dedicated entirely to fun and games! Celebrated this year on July 19^th, Play Day is a chance for communities to come together and champion the importance of play in children’s lives. Started in the 1980s in response to cuts in playground funding, Play Day highlights the role of play in fostering a child’s development, happiness, and creativity. It’s a reminder that play isn’t just fun, it’s essential. The day is filled with events as schools, families, and organizations host activities that encourage imaginative play, sparking a sense of community and highlighting the need for safe play spaces. Play Day goes beyond just a day of fun. It’s a campaign that reminds us of the UN’s recognition of play as a fundamental right for children. By participating, we advocate for protecting playgrounds and ensuring all children have the opportunity to experience the joy and benefits of play.

Rick

Did you know? July 2 was World UFO Day!

2024年07月15日

< – – – (actual footage of a US Navy fighter jet chasing a UFO)

Do you believe in UFOs (Unidentified Flying Object or as they are recently called UAP – Unidentified Aerial (or Anomalous) Phenomenon)? Have you ever seen one?Do they exist? If so where do they come from? Who made them? Aliens? God?Ah, the timeless debate of Aliens versus God, a truly intellectual pursuit that has captivated humanity for generations. 🛸🙏On one hand, we have the mysterious and elusive UFOs with aliens in them, flying saucers zipping through the cosmos with all the grace of a drunken seagull. These extraterrestrial visitors, if they even exist, must be the pinnacle of intelligence and sophistication, surely far surpassing our feeble human minds in every way.After all, who needs divine wisdom when you can have a close encounter of the third kind?

And then we have God, the ultimate cosmic overlord, allegedly responsible for creating the entire universe in just six days. Quite the achievement, I must say, although one wonders why such a powerful deity would bother with us puny mortals when there are galaxies to sculpt and black holes to wrangle.

Clearly, the debate between UFOs/Aliens and God is a clash of titans, a battle of wits that shakes the very foundations of our understanding of the universe. Are we mere ants in the eyes of extraterrestrial beings, or are we the favored creations of a bearded sky wizard? Who can say for sure?

In conclusion, the UFO/Alien versus God debate is a riveting intellectual exercise that challenges our preconceived notions and forces us to confront the great mysteries of the unknown. So, grab your tinfoil hats and your holy scriptures, dear readers, and let the cosmic showdown begin!Which side are you on, Team UFO/Aliens or Team God? Alex

Glastonbury Festival

2024年07月12日

The Glastonbury Festival (formally Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts and known colloquially as Glasto) is a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts held near Pilton,Somerset, England in early summer.

In addition to contemporary music, the festival hosts dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret, and other arts. Leading pop and rock artists have headlined, alongside thousands of others appearing on smaller stages and performance areas. Films and albums have been recorded at the festival, and it receives extensive television and newspaper coverage.

Glastonbury is attended by around 200,000 people, requiring extensive security, transport, water, and electricity-supply infrastructure. While the number of attendees is sometimes swollen by gate crashers, a record of 300,000 people was set at the 1994 festival, headlined by the Levellers, who performed on The Pyramid Stage. Most festival staff are unpaid volunteers, helping the festival to raise millions of pounds for charity organisations. Richard

Travel, Trip or Journey, Which is It

2024年07月1日

With summer here, many people will be visiting different places. That means the words ‘travel’, ‘trip’ and ‘journey’ will be used. Let’s look at how to use these three words correctly.

Travel talks about going to from one place to another and is mostly used as a verb but can also be used as a noun or an adjective.

Verb: She travels to a different country every summer, and right now she is travelling throughout Brazil

Noun: Nowadays, airplane travel can take you almost anywhere.

Adjective: I like to read travel magazines for ideas about places to visit.

Trip is a noun and is used to talk about going somewhere for business, school or pleasure. Often the verbs ‘take’ and ‘go on’ are used with trip.

We took a five-day road trip around Hokkaido and had a great time.

He went on a business trip to Europe last month and brought back some nice souvenirs.

Many of the students enjoyed their school trip to Kyoto even though it rained most of the time.

Journey is mostly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb. It usually talks about a long distance or time to travel from one place to another.

His bicycle journey around China lasted three months.

Getting here was a journey. We had to use three different flights.

I hope this has helped you with your English, and wherever you travel, take a trip or journey this summer, have a wonderful time. Erik

Strike a Pose! It’s Selfie Day

2024年06月24日

June 21st is Selfie Day, a celebration of the photo format that has become a global part of our digital lives. From capturing travel memories to sharing a spontaneous smile, selfies offer a quick and personal way to document ourselves and the world around us.

Love them or hate them, selfies have changed how we interact with technology and self-image. While some criticize them as selfish, selfies can be powerful tools for self-expression and connection. They allow us to share our experiences with friends and family near and far, promoting a sense of community even across geographical divides.

Selfie Day is a chance to embrace the selfie with a playful spirit. Grab your phone, find a fun background, and snap a picture that reflects your personality. Share it with friends, or simply keep it as a personal memento. Whether you’re a selfie pro or a hesitant newcomer, Selfie Day is a reminder that sometimes, the best way to capture a moment is with you right in the center of it.

Rick

Football (aka soccer)

2024年06月17日

The UEFA Euro 2024 is on, do you watch it?

Do you know what it is?

It is one of the most prestigious international football tournaments and this year it is scheduled to take place in Germany. 24 European nations will compete for the trophy of the best team in Europe in 2024.

Football is the most popular sport in the world, globally it is played by over 250 million players in over 190 nations. It is incredibly easy to play, you need nothing but a ball and a few players. It can be played anytime, anywhere by anyone, it is thrilling, fast paced and exciting.

Do you know its origins? Modern day football was developed in England in the late 1800’s then spread around the world. In the US it is known as soccer and one might think it is because of the ignorance of the populace, after all they call a competition between two baseball league teams a “World Series” and they call a game in which they never actually pass the ball from foot to foot, as it is done in “soccer”, football.

However, the name was actually coined in the UK where the term “soccer” is derived from the official name of the sport, “association football,” a term used to distinguish it from other forms of football such as rugby football. Japan was a bit late to the party as the Japan Soccer League was organized in 1965, and the J. League was formed in 1993. Nevertheless, as of 2024 Japan is ranked No. 17 in the world, which is a remarkable achievement. So, enjoy some quality football this month even if the Samurai Blues are not participating. In Japan Euro 2024 can be watched either on WOWOW or on Abema TV. Alex

Chelsea flower show

2024年06月12日

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, formally known as the Great Spring Show, is a garden show held for five days in May by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea in Chelsea, London. Held at Chelsea since 1912, the show is attended by members of the British royal family.

Highlights to the Chelsea Flower Show include the avant-garde show gardens designed by leading names with Floral Marquee at the centrepiece. The Show also features smaller gardens such as the Artisan and Urban Gardens.

The first Royal Horticultural Society Great Spring Show was held in 1862, at the RHS garden in Kensington. Before this date the RHS had held flower shows from 1833 in their garden in Chiswick, which themselves had been preceded by fetes. The Kensington Garden was chosen as a site because the flower shows in Chiswick were experiencing falling visitor numbers due to problems such as poor transport

links. The Great Spring Show was held at Kensington for twenty-six years but in 1888 the RHS decided to move the show to the heart of London. The site chosen was the Temple Gardens, situated between the Embankment and Fleet Street, which had a recorded history dating back to 1307 and which were said to date from the time of the Knights Templar. The roses for which these Temple Gardens were famous were alluded to in Shakespeare‘s Henry VI Part 1.

Richard

Do You Use Any Mnemonics?

2024年06月3日

Do you have a special way to remember the number of days in the months, the order of the colors in the rainbow or how to remember that sweet foods after a meal are spelled dessert and not desert? If so, then you are using a mnemonic. A mnemonic (pronounced ni-mon-ic) is a song, saying, acronym or some association used to remember something such as using your knuckles to remember which months have 30 or 31 days.

Some people use the acronym mnemonic ROY G. BIV as a way to remember the colors of the rainbow.

For dessert and desert, a mnemonic is dessert is something you want to enjoy more so it has two Ss, whereas a desert is hot and dry, so you want to go through quickly with only one S.

A mnemonic that many American school children use to remember that Columbus arrived in America in 1492 is the poem, “In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.”

Another useful mnemonic that helps differentiate between the often-confused words AFFECT and EFFECT is the simple mnemonic of shared letters: Affect = Action, Effect = rEsult.

For a personal example, the locations of Kashima and Kashiwa were a challenge for me to remember, and I would often get them mixed up until I came up with a mnemonic. Kashiwa is west of Narita, and Kashiwa and west have a W. This simple mnemonic has cleared up the confusion I used to have. What mnemonics do you use? Erik

Memorial Day

2024年05月27日

Memorial Day, observed on the last Monday of May (this year May 27^th), honors the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is a day to remember their sacrifices and thank them for their service. Memorial Day traditions include visiting cemeteries and memorials to place flags on graves, attending parades, and holding moments of silence. Many communities also host barbecues and other gatherings. Memorial Day should not be confused with Veterans Day, which is observed on November 11th and honors all veterans – living or dead. While Memorial Day is a somber occasion, it also marks the unofficial start of summer in the United States. Since my dad was a Marine, this day is a reminder of his service to America. He fought in the Vietnam War, and actually took leave here in Japan in Okinawa. He used to tell me stories of playing the beautiful golf courses in Okinawa before returning to fight in Saigon.

Rick

Do you like trick questions?

2024年05月27日

Well, here is one: who crowned Napoleon?

But of course, Napoleon did!

And not once, but twice!

The first time on Dec 2, 1804 when he became the Emperor of France and the second time 6 months later on May 16, 1805 when he became the King of Italy.

On both occasions he put the crown on his own head! Now that is some ego!

(Incidentally, he also died in May (on May 5th, 1821) to be exact).

So, let’s talk about the timeless tradition of coronation, where we gather to witness someone wearing an excessively heavy headgear, sitting on a lavish throne, and pretending to be bestowed with divine powers. How charmingly antiquated! The whole spectacle is like a real-life fairy tale, complete with a cast of characters playing their roles to perfection.

I mean, who wouldn’t enjoy watching a group of privileged individuals parade around in their fancy robes and jewels, acting as if they were chosen by the heavens themselves to rule over us mere mortals? It’s truly heartwarming to see how ostentatious displays of wealth and power can bring a nation together, isn’t it?

Let’s not forget the delightful ceremony of swearing oaths and making grand promises, only to promptly forget about them the moment the coronation festivities are over. 　　　　　　　　　　　The Crown of Hungary　→

It’s all just a big, elaborate show to stroke egos and maintain outdated notions of hierarchy and superiority.

So, here’s to the custom of coronation — a charming relic of the past that continues to dazzle and bemuse us in equal measure.

Long live the emperor, empress, king, or queen, or whoever manages to snatch that sparkly crown next!

Alex

Cherry Blossoms in the UK.

2024年05月13日

The United Kingdom hopes to emulate Japan with cherry blossom tourism plans.
Tourists have long travelled to Japan to see its famous cherry blossom in spring.
But the UK could soon have its own industry as the increasing number of the trees in the country draw large crowds each year when in bloom.
The spring bank holiday is expected to see large numbers of visitors from home and abroad heading to cherry blossom spots, with recent weather conditions creating a bumper year for the trees.
Battersea park in London draws many people to take pictures under the blooming row of cherry blossom trees.

The National Trust has vowed to plant 4 million blossoming trees across England, Wales and Northern Ireland by 2030 as part of its wider tree-planting mission, as well as its Blossom Watch campaign, which encourages people to embrace the fleeting beauty of the trees each year.

The UK National Trust has taken inspiration from the hanami festivals in Japan where there are blossom trees on a huge scale. The National Trust in Birmingham has experienced lots of tourists coming to take photos of the blossoms and share them.

The Birmingham National Trust’s Blossom programme, will see 600 blossom trees planted along the city’s number 11 bus route in January to create a “ring of blossom” around the city.

The project is a reference to Birmingham’s botanical history when it was once known as a “town ringed by blossom” due to being surrounded by gardens and orchards in the mid-18th century.

The Trust says that it wants the trees to blossom each year and for people to enjoy them and remember the process behind it.

The Birmingham tree-planting is the latest instalment in the trust’s legacy programme planting blossom trees in major UK cities.

The London Blossom Garden in east London opened in May 2021 to commemorate those that lost their lives to the coronavirus pandemic, and blossom trees have also been planted in cities including Plymouth, Nottingham and Newcastle.

It has also concentrated its blossom tree-planting in urban areas where people have less access to nature and green spaces.

Richard

Sayings with GOLDEN

2024年05月6日

With Golden Week here, it is an opportune time to look at some common English sayings that use the word ‘golden’.

a golden opportunity: An excellent opportunity that is not likely to be repeated.

During Golden Week, John had a golden opportunity to do what he wanted because he was off work, but his wife had to work.

the golden rule: This refers to a saying of Jesus’ found in the Bible (Matthew 7:12, Luke 6:31). “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It tells us that we should treat others the way we would like to be treated.

Our Golden Week road trip was great because we all followed the golden rule.

silence is golden: A proverb that says silence is often good or desirable.

For Golden Week we were able to get out of the city and enjoy some peace and quiet in the mountains. The silence was golden.

golden oldies: A song that was very popular in the past and is still enjoyed by many people.

We had a lot of fun listening to golden oldies while we were driving to our relatives’ house during Golden Week.

the golden years: The years following one’s retirement (generally after the age of 65).

Now that he has reached the golden years, he doesn’t need to take a vacation and fight the crowds during Golden Week.

the golden age of something: The golden age of a particular field of activity is a period of time during which it was very successful or of a very high quality.

The golden age of overseas travel during Golden Week was in the late 1980s.

Erik

Azaleas or Cherry Blossoms

2024年04月29日

It’s time for the great debate. Which do you prefer, the azalea or the cherry blossom? Here are some interesting facts about both to help you make your decision.

Azaleas

They are grown as a bush of shrub.
Their blooms last several weeks.
Start blooming in the spring usually around April.
Can live 50-100 years.
They need sun but like shade under the trees.
Come in different colors mainly white and pink, but also orange and red.
They are usually .5 to 2 meters high.
There are 1,000 different varieties.
They are poisonous if consumed.
They are ornamental.

Cherry blossoms

The cherry blossom capital of the world is not in Japan but in Macon, Georgia with 300,000-350,000 Yoshino cherry blossom trees.
Cherry blossom petals are edible.
They only bloom for a week.
There are over 100 varieties of cherry blossom trees. The most common variety is the Somei-yoshino cherry tree.
Cherry blossom trees are ornamental.
They only last about 16-20 years.
They average 4-10 meters tall.
The flowers can range in color from pale pink to bright pink as well as white and ivory.

Rick

Hot spring in the spring

2024年04月26日

Do you like onsens?

Do you like caves?

Would you like to try onsen in a cave?

Well, then why not head to the enchanting Miskolctapolca Cave Bath in Hungary?

Nestled in the charming town of Miskolctapolca in Hungary, lies a hidden gem waiting to be discovered – the Miskolctapolca Cave Bath.

The first mentions of this hot spring dates back to 1743. Then it was reconstructed in 1837 and once again in the 1920s. Today’s facilities were put in place from 1998 to 2005.

This unique underground thermal cave system offers visitors a one-of-a-kind bathing experience amidst natural limestone formations and mineral-rich thermal waters, temperatures up to 35C.

As you descend into the caves, a sense of tranquility envelopes you, creating the perfect ambiance for relaxation and rejuvenation. The warm waters soothe your body and mind, melting away the stresses of everyday life.

The cave’s mystical atmosphere, coupled with the healing properties of the thermal waters, make this a must-visit destination for those seeking a blend of wellness and adventure. Whether you’re looking to unwind after a day of exploration or simply immerse yourself in the therapeutic benefits of the mineral-rich waters, the Miskolctapolca Cave Bath offers a truly immersive experience like no other.

So, dive into this subterranean oasis and let the magic of Miskolctapolca Cave Bath transport you to a world of relaxation and serenity.

Don’t forget your bathing suit though, for it is a coed bathing experience.

Alex

Cuckoo- English spring has arrived!

2024年04月16日

It is almost impossible to think of spring without images of bouncing lambs, fuzzy ducklings and charming calves. April offers all of this, but perhaps a less expected animal icon of the English spring is the cuckoo. First published in the early 1900s, The Cuckoo Song by English novelist Rudyard Kipling captures the emotions of Heathfield Fair. Also known as Heffle Cuckoo Fair, a cuckoo would be released to celebrate the beginning of the season. Spot these birds as they arrive in England from Africa in late April and early May. Cuckoos only spend a few short months in Europe, laying their eggs in the nests of other birds, before returning to the warmer climate of Africa in the summer.

From cuckoos back to the better-known symbols of spring, baby farm life. While these adorable signs of new life can be delightful, ensure you are not interacting in a way that will harm the animal. Just like humans, mother sheep, cows and birds can all be protective of their young. Enjoy these amazing animals from a distance, and close any gates behind you while walking in the countryside.

“March has searched and April tried
T’isn’t long to May now.
Not so far to Whitsuntide
And Cuckoo’s come to stay now!”

– The Cuckoo Song by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)　　　　　　　　　　Richard

Gardening and Growing Your English

2024年04月8日

Spring is here, and with that comes the insatiable desire for many to grow something. Whether it is flowers, vegetables, herbs or all of the above, gardening is a great activity not only for the enjoyment that it brings but also because it can improve your English. Gardening involves a number of words that are both nouns and verbs. When a noun can be used as a verb, it is called “verbing” and English is full of them. Have you ever used a comb to comb your hair? So, let’s look at 10 gardening words that are both nouns and verbs.

1) Garden: Her beautiful garden shows she loves to garden.

2) Plant: He plants different seasonal plants every year.

3) Shovel: Get the shovel and shovel some dirt in the hole.

4) Rake: She used the rake to rake the leaves into a pile.

5) Mulch: It’s important to mulch your garden with good mulch.

6) Seed: They will seed their garden with seeds from last year’s plants.

7) Water: When you water your garden, the right amount of water is important.

8) Weed: A gardener needs to weed regularly since weeds grow so freely.

9) Flower: It is nice to have a variety of flowers so they don’t all flower at the same time.

10) Harvest: She harvested many vegetables, so she shared her harvest with her friends.

Erik

St. Patrick’s Day

2024年04月1日

St. Patrick’s Day is on March 17^th. It is celebrated all over the U.S. In my home town of Savannah, Georgia we dress in green, have a parade, people drink beer, and even dye the Savannah River green. Common associations include the shamrock, leprechauns, and gold at the end of the rainbow.

St. Patrick’s Day dates back more than 1,500 years from the country of Ireland. The earliest known celebrations were held in the 17th century on March 17, marking the anniversary of the death of St. Patrick in the 5th century. Here are some not so known facts about this holiday.

The Real St. Patrick Was Born in Britain
There Were No Snakes Around for St. Patrick to Expel from Ireland
Leprechauns Are Likely Based on Celtic Fairies
The Shamrock Was Considered a Blessed Plant
The First St. Patrick’s Day Parade Was Held in America
The Irish Were Once Despised in America

Corned Beef and Cabbage Was an American Origination

Rick

Easter

2024年03月22日

Easter. – It’s bunny time again.

The holiday that’s basically a rabbit-themed excuse to eat too much chocolate.

Another year, another egg hunt. It’s the time of year when we all gather ’round to celebrate by painting hard-boiled eggs and pretending a giant bunny hops around hiding them for us.

How delightful it is to participate in a tradition that perfectly captures the true essence of… chocolate eggs and pastel-colored decorations! Let’s not forget the excitement of searching for plastic grass in our Easter baskets. And who can resist attending a parade where we commemorate a zombie-like figure rising from the dead? Oh, Easter, the pinnacle of logical holiday observances. So, grab your bonnets and your baskets, folks, and let’s revel in the absurdity of the commercialized, bunnified, egg-centric extravaganza that is Easter.

Because nothing says “holy resurrection” like a sugar-induced coma from all that candy!

So Hallelujah and pass the chocolate bunny! Alex

Why do British people put milk in tea?

2024年03月18日

Tea is basically made of the same plant no matter where in the world you drink it, but tea preparations vary from country to country.

While the Chinese and Japanese generally prefer their hot tea without any dairy, a splash of milk in your afternoon “cuppa” is quintessentially British.　

Britons may take milk in their tea for the flavour today, but that wasn’t the original intention.

According to Reader’s Digest, the first people to add milk to their tea were more concerned about their drinking vessels than the tea itself. In the early days, and of course today too, the British sipped tea out of delicate china cups, which were prone to cracking under intense heat of the boiling water. This was especially true of cheaper china, which was all that most people could afford. Instead of serving tea at a temperature cooler than steaming hot, they used milk to mellow it. The cold milk went into the cup first, followed by the boiling liquid, which immediately cooled down to a less-destructive state.

If you’ve ever wondered about the best way to pour your tea, adding the milk first is historically accurate. Science backs up this method as well. If you add cold milk to a hot cup of tea, the dairy will heat unevenly, which can cause the proteins to denature and clump together. This results in an unappetizing film on top of the beverage that’s likely to ruin your teatime.

Not everyone agrees that pouring milk first and tea second is the correct way to go. And of course, many tea-drinkers would not put any milk in the drink to begin with. However, at the end of the day, it is up to you!

Enjoy Yourselves! 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Richard

Everything You Should Know About March

2024年03月11日

“March” is named for the Roman god of war, Mars. However, we think of it as the beginning of spring, as March brings the vernal equinox, the Full Worm Moon and the return of Daylight Saving Time! Here are important dates, folklore and other tips to celebrate the start of spring.

The Month of March

“March” is named for the Roman god of war, Mars. This was the time of year to resume military campaigns that had been interrupted by winter.

In the early Roman calendar, March (or Martius) was the first month of the calendar year. As March brought the first day of spring with the vernal equinox, it was the start of new beginnings.

March became the third month when January and February, which were added to the end of the Roman calendar around 700 BCE, instead became the first and second months around 450 BCE

March Calendar

March 8 isInternational Women’s Day, which is a day that not only celebrates the achievements of women and the progress made toward women’s rights but also brings attention to ongoing struggles for equality around the world.
March 10 is the start of Daylight Saving Time, which begins at 2:00 A.M. that day. If your area observes it, don’t forget to “spring forward” and set the clocks one hour ahead, or you may find yourself an hour late to everything!
March 10also marks the start of Ramadan, which begins at sundown. In Islam, Ramadan is considered a holy month when a month-long, sunrise-to-sunset fast is observed.
March 15 is the Ides of March! Legend surrounds this ill-fated day. Beware the Ides of March!
March 17is Patrick’s Day. According to folklore, folks wear a shamrock on St. Patrick’s Day because the saint used its three leaves to explain the Trinity.
March 19 brings about the March equinox—also called the vernalor spring equinox in the Northern Hemisphere—marking the beginning of spring. In the Southern Hemisphere, this date marks the autumnal equinox and the beginning of fall. On this day, the Sun stands directly over Earth’s equator.
March 24is Palm Sunday, the Sunday before Easter and the last Sunday of Lent.
March 29-31 are known as the Borrowing Days. According to lore, the last three days of March have a reputation for being stormy.
March 29is Good Friday.
March 31 is Easter Sunday. (May 5 is Orthodox Easter.)

Folklore for the Season

A wet spring, a dry harvest.
On St. Patrick’s Day, the warm side of a stone turns up, and the broad-back goose begins to lay.
March comes in with adders’ heads and goes out with peacocks’ tails.
Thunder in spring, Cold will bring.
So many mists in March you see, So many frosts in May will be.
In beginning or in end, March its gifts will send.
Bleak winds assault us all around;
Dances aloft, or skims the ground:
See the school-boy—his hat in hand,
While on the path he scarce can stand

March’s birth flower is the daffodil or jonquil. The daffodil signifies regard or unrequited love. The jonquil means “I desire a return of affection.”

March’s birthstone is the aquamarine. This gem is a type of beryl; its color can be pale to dark blue, greenish-blue, or blue-green; deep, intense blue versions are more valuable.

(Grant:})

What Season Do You Like the Best?

2024年03月4日

Based on the earth’s movement around the sun, the year is divided into four seasons: spring, summer, fall/autumn and winter. Of course, depending where you find yourself on the earth, there may be more or less of certain seasons. But are there really only four seasons? Have you ever heard of the rainy season, the Christmas season, the baseball season or the strawberry season? In addition to the usual four seasons, the word ‘season’ can be used in many different situations.

People often use season to talk about the time of year that has certain weather conditions such as the dry season or the typhoon season. Season is also used to refer to the time of year when something is available or at it is best. With bamboo shoots soon to sprout here in Japan, we could say takenoko season is coming soon. Another usage of season is for the time of year when there are certain activities or conditions. The ski season is just about over, but the cherry blossom season is just around the corner. Additionally, season is used to talk about the days surrounding a special occasion or holiday such as the Easter season. So, with the numerous options available, what season do you like the best?

Try this season quiz. Look at the pictures. What season do you think it is? The answers are below written backwards. Erik

gnipamc season euqebarb season pilut season yrreb season

SUPER BOWL

2024年02月26日

America’s most watched sporting event is the Super Bowl. It is what Japanese call “American Football”, but to us native Americans, just football. Over 100,000,000 fans will watch the Super Bowl this year. Some will watch for the game itself, others for the halftime show which this year will feature Usher (an iconic pop/soul singer and dancer), and still others for the entertaining commercials (my favorite was the Budweiser ad from the 80’s which had three frogs saying, “Bud…Weis…Er”). This year a 30 second commercial will cost a company about seven million dollars. The two teams playing this year come from San Francisco and Kansas City. Both are viable teams and it should be classic showdown. One interesting titbit is the story the media is all up in the arms about. One of the Kansas City players (tight end Travis Kelce) is dating (wait for it, drum roll, boom, boom, boom): Taylor Swift. Swift has been seen at numerous games cheering and dancing for her man. There has been more media coverage of this than the actual game this year. Oh, well! I just want to sit and watch a good close game. Maybe, San Fran 34 and KC 31.

Rick

orest Spirits!

2024年02月19日

Do you believe in them?　　　　　　　　　You should for they are real. 😊　　　　If you don’t believe me just go to southern Hungary right about now and you will see them come out of the forest scaring the locals. 　　　　　　　 There is a festival in Southern Hungary dating back to the 1700’s where people dressed into really scary customs reenact the chasing out of the occupying Turkish forces from a nearby town called Mohács. The Turks occupied part of Southern Hungary including the city of Mohács and the inhabitants escaped into the nearby forests and marshes. Then one day a forest spirit came and told them that they can drive out the enemy by scaring them to death. So, the Hungarian people who were really tired of the Turkish oppression, dressed in scary, blood-stained wooden masks and sheepskin, crossed the Danube river in boats under the cover of night – and, using self-made noise-making devices, scared the Turks so terribly that they fled the city of Mohács in a panic, terrified by the scary masqueraders. Ever since this festival, called Busójárás, is held at the beginning of February and it is quite a tourist attraction. Alex

UK hit with winter weather

2024年02月13日

And now, the weather report. Temperatures fell to -13C (8.6F) overnight, making it the coldest night of the winter, as waves of Arctic air continue to move across the UK.

Forecasters said it has been the coldest January night for 14 years.

Bitter conditions and significant snowfall have already forced schools to shut in Scotland and northern England, and sparked travel disruption.

Yellow warnings for ice and snow are in force in all four UK nations.

The bitter weather is expected to ease at the end of the week, before possible stormy weather this weekend.

By the end of Friday, more than 40cm of snow may be seen on high ground in north-west Scotland, as wintry weather continues, the Met Office (Meteorological Office) has forecast.

Snow, sleet and rain are expected to continue blanketing northern parts of the UK, though there will be some sunshine.

Heavy frosts and freezing conditions are likely across virtually the entire country, with experts warning of treacherous pavements and roads.

In January 2010, -22.3C (-8.14F) was recorded in the Scottish Highlands.

When the weather gets extremely cold, especially below freezing for a week or so, households that receive government benefits, in certain parts of the UK receive an automatic £25(￥4700) payment to help towards fuel bills.

Snow around the UK this week. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Richard

Leap Year Superstitions

2024年02月5日

Our everyday calendar is an artificial medium that has been juggled with through the centuries in an effort to make it more accurate and more useful. The time it takes for the earth to rotate is 365 ¼ days but the calendar year is 365 days, hence once every four years to balance this, we have a leap year and an extra day, February 29th.

Because such years are rarer than normal years, they have become lucky omens. The 29th February itself is an especially important day. Anything started on this day is sure of success.

February 29th in the leap year of 1504 was very successful for one Christopher Columbus. The famous explorer had been marooned for several months on the small island of Jamaica. Though the island natives had initially offered food and provisions, Columbus’ arrogant and overbearing attitude had so annoyed the natives that they stopped this altogether.

Facing starvation, Columbus came up with an inspired plan. Consulting a shipboard almanac and finding that a lunar eclipse was due, he called together the native chiefs and announced to them that God would punish them if they did not supply his crew with food. And as an omen of God’s intent to punish them, there would be a sign in the sky: God would darken the Moon.

Right on cue, the lunar eclipse started. Columbus dramatically disappeared into his cabin as the natives began to panic and begged him to restore the Moon. After more than an hour, Columbus emerged from his cabin and announced that God was prepared to withdraw his punishment if the natives agreed to supply him and his crew with everything they needed. The native chiefs immediately agreed, and within minutes the Moon started emerging from shadow, leaving the natives in awe of Columbus’ power. Columbus continued to receive food and supplies until he was rescued in June 1504.

For women, February 29th can also be a very successful day, as once every four years on the 29th February they have the “right” to propose to a man.

The right of every women to propose on 29th February each leap year goes back hundreds of years when the leap year day had no recognition in English law (the day was ‘leapt over’ and ignored, hence the term ‘leap year’). It was decided that the day had no legal status, meaning that a break in tradition on this day was acceptable.

So, on this day, women can take advantage of this anomaly and propose to the man they wish to marry.

In Scotland however, to ensure success they should also wear a red petticoat under their dress – and make sure that it is partly visible to the man when they propose.

For those wishing to take advantage of this ancient tradition, 29th February is your day!

(Grant)

Winter English

2024年01月29日

For most people, winter is the season in which they spend the most time indoors. If this is you, what better way to use your time than expanding your understanding of English. So, pull up a chair and take some time as this blog will introduce some often-used winter/cold related idioms/expressions that will help your English knowledge grow.

the winter blues: a feeling of sadness or depression during the winter months

ex: Takeshi’s first winter in Hokkaido after moving there from Okinawa was really hard. He had the winter blues for a couple months, but now he loves winter in Hokkaido

winter wonderland: a picturesque winter scene

ex: Shirakawa-go becomes a winter wonderland whenever it snows. It is so beautiful.

to be snowed under: to be overwhelmed with things to do at work, school, etc.

ex: Sachiko really wanted to hang out with her friends over the weekend, but she couldn’t as she was snowed under with homework.

to break the ice: to create a friendlier and more relaxed atmosphere by saying or doing something at a party, meeting or in a new situation

ex: Daisuke is great at breaking the ice. He always knows what to say to people especially when he first meets them.

to give someone the cold shoulder: to treat someone in an unfriendly way or to intentionally ignore them

ex: Sumire’s friend gave her the cold shoulder at school. She said, “Hi” to him, but he didn’t talk to her at all. She didn’t know why he was doing it.

as snug as a bug in a rug: to be very warm and comfortable

ex: Mana was as sung as a bug in a rug as she laid under the kotatsu with her dog Cinnamon.

to bundle up: to dress in warm clothes

ex: Ren and Masaki’s mother made sure they bundled up before they went out to play in the snow.

Listen for these phrases in conversations and as you watch shows or movies in English, and try to use them as this is what will really help them become part of your English.

Erik

Love Your Neighbor

2024年01月22日

Well 2024 sure started off with a bang. On January 1^st, as I was looking at the sports news on my phone an earthquake alert sounded off causing me to jump off the sofa. I turned on the news to find a tsunami warning for the Ishikawa area. I started praying that things would turn out to be ok as my mind drifted back to March 11, 2011 to the Great East Earthquake here in Chiba. The next day I turned on the news to see what was happening in Ishikawa only to see footage of an airplane bursting into flames as it landed at Haneda airport. Again, I prayed and hoped that things would be alright.

As I watched the news this past week I heard stories of courage, bravery, and unselfishness displayed by Japanese in these two situations. I was amazed at how chaotic the situation was inside the airplane, yet how calm the flight attendants and passengers reacted. They really helped each other to get off a plane that was engulfed with flames. I was also amazed at the help volunteers and neighbors displayed in the earthquake hit areas. Neighbors sharing generators, kerosene, blankets, water, and food with each other as if that is how things are supposed to be. I was really moved by the kindness and generosity. It reminds of Mark 12:31, which says, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” This is a great example of how we should treat others.

Rick

Winter blues

2024年01月15日

The cold weather gets you down?
Days are too short and too dark?
You don’t wanna go out, it’s freezing?
Try this one on for size: -55Celsius! Daytime! Now that is cold! If you live in Yakutsk, Siberia, Russia you can experience it all day, every day in winter. It is so cold they have heated bus stops where you can sit inside while waiting for your next ride. It is so cold they have blankets for cars. And auto-start systems installed that starts the car’s engine when the temperature inside the car drops to -5C. Outside the city they don’t have running water in the houses, waterpipes in the ground would freeze, so they do their toilet business in “outhouses”. Unheated outhouses! In Japan you have heated seats on the toilets. In Yakutsk the toilets are outside (in the countryside that is)!
Can you imagine? And yet there are people who take a bath, in that cold temperature, outdoors, in ice cold water. Now that is just crazy! So next time you think that +2C is too cold, just look at these pictures and thank your lucky stars that you live in Chiba not in Siberia. Alex

A typical Christmas Day in England

2024年01月8日

According to tradition, Christmas in England is a family event. Many people get up early, because during the night Father Christmas (or Santa Claus) has left presents for children. In Britain, Father Christmas comes into the house through the chimney and leaves his little presents in big socks (“Christmas stockings”) which children hang up on Christmas Eve, beside the fire, at the end of the bed or around the tree.

For those who respect the traditional ritual of Christmas Day, after breakfast people put on their best clothes and go to a morning service at church. After church it’s back home to eat Christmas dinner or Christmas lunch, which is eaten around 1 p.m. The two essential elements of Christmas lunch are stuffed turkey and Christmas pudding.

Christmas presents are usually unwrapped either in the morning or after lunch.

A traditional feature of Christmas afternoon is the King’s Christmas Message. At three o’clock in the afternoon, the King gives his Christmas Message to the nation which is broadcast on the radio and television.

These days, while many of the essential traditions are still very much alive and well (Christmas stockings, turkey, pudding, presents), Christmas church services attract fewer people, and new traditions have grown up. For example, watching a movie with family, going to friends or relatives’ houses, or going for a drive or a walk in the park or countryside.

Enjoy Yourselves!

Richard

The Christmas Pudding

2023年12月25日

The Tradition of the Christmas Pudding

Christmas (or Plum) Pudding is the traditional end to the British Christmas dinner. But what we think of as Christmas Pudding, is not what it was originally like!
Christmas pudding originated as a 14th century porridge called ‘frumenty’ that was made of beef and mutton with raisins, currants, prunes, wines and spices. This would often be more like soup and was eaten as a fasting meal in preparation for the Christmas festivities.
By 1595, frumenty was slowly changing into a ‘plum pudding’, having been thickened with eggs, breadcrumbs, dried fruit and given more flavor with the addition of beer and spirits. (The word ‘plum’ could also then mean dried plums like prunes and other dried fruit.) It became the customary Christmas dessert around 1650, but in 1664 the Puritans banned it as a bad custom.
In 1714, King George I re-established it as part of the Christmas meal, having tasted and enjoyed Plum Pudding. By Victorian times, Christmas Puddings had changed into something similar to the ones that are eaten today.

Christmas Puddings Superstitions and Traditions

Over the years, many superstitions have surrounded Christmas Puddings. One superstition says that the pudding should be made with 13 ingredients to represent Jesus and His Disciples and that every member of the family should take turns to stir the pudding with a wooden spoon from east to west, in honour of the Wise Men.

Although Christmas Puddings are eaten at Christmas, some customs associated with the pudding are about Easter! The decorative sprig of holly on the top of the pudding is a reminder of Jesus’ Crown of Thorns that he wore when he was killed. Brandy or another alcoholic drink is sometimes poured over the pudding and lit at the table to make a spectacular display. This is said to represent Jesus’ love and power.

In the Middle Ages, holly was also thought to bring good luck and to have healing powers. It was often planted near houses in the belief that it protected the inhabitants.

During Victorian times, puddings in big and rich houses were often cooked in fancy moulds (like jelly ones). These were often in the shapes of towers or castles. Normal people just had puddings in the shape of balls. If the pudding was a bit eavy, they were called cannonballs! Grant

Merry Christmas

2023年12月18日

The Christmas season is upon us, and amidst the hustle and bustle of this time of year, let’s take this opportunity to remember what this season celebrates. Christmas, Christ’s mass or Christ’s festival, is the celebration of the birth of Jesus that took place a little over 2,000 years ago. Jesus was born in the town of Bethlehem in Israel to common people and grew up in the rural town of Nazareth. He never went to college, never wrote a book, never traveled far from his home and never held a political office. Yet, he changed history resulting in more songs being sung to him, more books being written about him, more art featuring him and more people following him than any other person in history. At his birth, an angel declared, “I bring you good news, the most joyous news the world has ever heard! It is for everyone everywhere! For today in Bethlehem the Savior – yes, the Christ, the Lord – has been born for you.” The Bible tells us Jesus came into this world for numerous reasons which include, bringing us joy, giving us eternal life, saving us from our sins, showing us God’s love and dying for us. Here is a modern Christmas song that sings all about this, He Came with Love. While the reason for this season often gets lost, taking some time to ponder what it really is all about can give us a renewed appreciation for what we celebrate on December 25th. Merry Christmas. Erik

Hammerin’ Hank

2023年12月11日

Well, it’s time to say goodbye to the long baseball season, as the Texas Rangers and Hanshin Tigers were crowned champions in their perspective leagues. It may be also time for Shotime to say sayonara to Los Angeles as he looks for a new contract, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to say farewell to Nippon as he makes a new start in the MLB. This season had a lot of good and bad memories (as my beloved Braves didn’t quite reach their ultimate goal of winning a championship). Probably the most iconic player in Braves history was Henry “Hank” Aaron. On April 8, 1974 he hit his 715^th homerun to break the record of most homers set by Babe Ruth. There was a lot of pressure on him that year as many did not want to see him break Ruth’s record. He received numerous racist and even death threats. But he remembered as a young boy in Alabama hitting bottle caps and crushed cans with a broomstick as he didn’t have a bat and ball. “When I look back on my life, I can see that all through my childhood I was being prepared to play baseball,” he said. “Hammerin’ Hank,” swung hard, that night and hit the ball over the fence for a home run. It was the 715th homer of his career, making him baseball’s all-time homerun king. “I was in my own little world at the time,” Aaron said when circling the bases. “It was like I was running in a bubble and I could see all these people jumping up and down and waving their arms in slow motion. . . . I was told I had a big smile on my face as I came around third. I purposely never smiled as I ran the bases after a home run, but I suppose I couldn’t help it that time.” This was a memory that as an 11-year-old I will never forget. Without question, he was one of the greatest players in the history of the Atlanta Braves.

Rick

*Quotes taken from the book, Atlanta Braves by Brian Howell

Christmas Tree

2023年12月4日

Do you have one? If so which one, a green one full of colorful lights and decorations, an elegant white one with everything in similar shade or a funky, wild pink one?

Whichever is your choice, it is nice to know a bit about its history. Apparently, it originated from Germany in the 16^th century when people started bringing decorated trees into their homes. Legend has it that the first lighted candle was added by Martin Luther himself, a Protestant reformer. Then it has spread slowly until in 1846 when Queen Victoria and her husband were sketched in a London newspaper standing around their tree with their children. From then on it has spread far and wide, although European trees tended to be smaller while in America they reached from floor to ceiling. Decorations varied from home ornaments in the US to apples, nuts and marzipan cookies in Germany. The wide usage of electricity also meant Christmas lights were added to trees making them glow for days on end. Of course, real trees are better than fake ones, they smell really nice, but if you can only get a fake one in Japan that’s fine too. So, spend some time decorating one with the kids, you don’t even have to believe in fairytales, and enjoy drinking eggnog, with rum if you so desire, it’d make a nice family time. Alex

Part 2 of 2. Norfolk Common and Grey seals

2023年11月27日

Whether you come to Norfolk to see the seals with their pups in the winter months, or watch them basking in the sun in the summer months, this spectacle in Norfolk is an all year round activity to enjoy.

For several years now, the colonies of Common and Grey seals in Norfolk have been growing rapidly. This is very exciting, and it also means visitors have a fantastic chance to see this incredible sight for much of the year. And whether you’ve got children with you or not, you can guarantee that you’ll love these adorable looking mammals!

But always remember to respect animals and nature!

Enjoy Yourselves!

Richard

Guy Fawkes Night Celebrations (November 5th)

2023年11月20日

Every year on November 5, skies across England, Scotland and Wales are illuminated by fireworks as Brits head out into the night to enjoy Guy Fawkes Night celebrations.
Also called Fireworks Night or Bonfire Night, this autumn tradition has been a staple of the British calendar for the past 400 years.
Kids in English schools grew up reciting the nursery rhyme “Remember, remember / The fifth of November / Gunpowder, treason and plot.” But for those outside the UK, this rather unusual holiday’s rather unusual origin story may be a bit of a mystery.
Who was Guy Fawkes?

An illustration of Guy Fawkes and the other men behind the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605.

Guy Fawkes, sometimes known as Guido Fawkes, was one of several men arrested for attempting to blow up London’s Houses of Parliament on November 5, 1605. Fawkes and company were Catholics and hoped this act of terrorism would spark a Catholic revolution in Protestant England.
England had been a Catholic country until Tudor King Henry VIII founded the Church of England. In the aftermath, Catholics were forced to practice their faith in secret.
While Fawkes became the face of Bonfire Night, it was another plotter, Robert Catesby, who masterminded the idea. But Fawkes was an explosives expert, and he was the one who got caught under the Houses of Parliament next to the stash of gunpowder, hence his notoriety.
Catesby, Fawkes and their co-conspirators were imprisoned in the Tower of London and subsequently tortured and killed publicly.
Following the thwarted plot, Londoners lit bonfires in celebration, and then-King James I passed an act of law designating November 5 a day of national remembrance.
As the century rolled on, people started burning effigies of the pope on bonfires on November 5. In time, effigies of Fawkes replaced the pope.

From the late 19th century onward, the religious overtones of November 5 dampened, and the act of law designating it a day of remembrance was repealed.
Still, bonfires and celebrations continued. It became a common sight to see kids trawling English streets with their homemade Guy Fawkes effigy, knocking on doors and asking for a “penny for the guy,” a kind of Bonfire Night-themed trick-or-treat.

(Grant)

Thanksgiving Day

2023年11月13日

The fourth Thursday in November, Thanksgiving Day, is a national holiday in the United States. The origin of Thanksgiving Day is said to have been in 1621 when the Plymouth Colony settlers and the Wampanoag native Americans shared a meal celebrating the harvest.

While George Washington, the first president of the United States, said in 1789 that there should be “a day of public thanksgiving and thanks,” it wasn’t until 1863 in the midst of the Civil War that Abraham Lincoln made it a national holiday. He said the day should be, “A day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and union.”

While Thanksgiving Day is celebrated once a year, it is good for us to always be thankful as when we are thankful, complaining, dissatisfaction and unhappiness disappear. It is good for our souls. So, what are you thankful for? Erik

Altamaha-ha – Serpent of the Altamaha River in Georgia

2023年11月6日

We probably all know of the story about Scotland’s Loch Ness Monster. But did you know there is also a Southern folklore about another reclusive creature? It is found along the Altamaha River in southeastern Georgia in the U.S. This river is made up of many islands, marshes, channels, canals, ponds, and old rice fields which all make for good hiding places. The Altamaha-ha is said to have a long slender body, lack of scales, and five rows of bony plates running the length of the body, including a bony ridge on its top. With front flippers and no back limbs, it swims like a dolphin and has the nose of a crocodile, with large, bulging eyes and large sharp teeth. Its coloring is said to be gray or green. Reports indicate that it is 20-30 feet long. There have many sightings by local fishermen, hunters, Boy Scouts, residents, and even a ship’s captain through the years. The creature is said to be shy but did rock a few boats when surprised. There have been a few fuzzy photos taken but so far no one has been able to catch it. So, if you are ever in Georgia near the Altamaha River, keep a look out, you just might be surprised.

Rick

Driving.

2023年10月30日

The ultimate freedom to go anywhere, anytime you desire. Whether you are in a mighty German super sedan or in a Japanese econobox, it’s a fantastic feeling to take to the open road and explore the countryside. At this time of the year it’s probably best to visit the mountains where fall colors can be fully appreciated. Changing of the leaves is a beautiful sight to see whether you are in an Ultimate Driving Machine (BMW), a The Best or Nothing (Mercedes Benz) or in a There is No Substitute (Porsche). Ideally, you would pick a ride with a manual transmission to fully enjoy those twisty mountain roads and hairpins that zig-zag the Japanese countryside. If you happened to be in a Kei-car, well it’s not that bad either as long as you have a decent stereo to play some catchy tunes to mask the sound of the overworked engine.

So, dust off that driver’s license, rent a car if you have to, and enjoy some fresh air and colorful foliage this long weekend. Take some pictures while you are at it.Which car would you choose? I know my pick….

Of course, if you can’t afford one of the Germans, you can always don a t-shirt with their logo.

Alex

Norfolk Common and Grey seals. Part 1 of 2.

2023年10月23日

Norfolk, on the east coast of England, in autumn has the most amazing wildlife, but a real draw to this county, is the seals and their pups.

The Common and Grey seals are without a doubt an incredible sight and one that you must see when you are in Norfolk.

The seals don’t really start pupping until the winter months (November to February), however, they do start to come onto the beaches before that (the blobs in the photo above are seals on the beach!). There are two places in Norfolk where you can see these incredible creatures. One is on the North Norfolk Coast at Blakeney Point, the other is at Horsey.

During September and October, you are, of course, free to walk on the beach at Horsey, but from November onwards there are restrictions where you are allowed to go. However, there is a viewing area put in place so that you can view the seals without disturbing them.

To be continued…

Richard

A short history of Halloween

2023年10月16日

Halloween is a holiday celebrated each year on October 31, and Halloween 2023 will occur on Tuesday, October 31. The tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off ghosts. In the eighth century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as a time to honor all saints. Soon, All Saints Day incorporated some of the traditions of Samhain. The evening before was known as All Hallows Eve, and later Halloween. Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities like trick-or-treating, carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating treats. Grant

Why Is October Not the 8th Month?

2023年10月9日

What do October, octopus and octagon have in common? They all begin with “octo(a)” meaning “8” in Latin and Greek.

While an octagon is an eight-sided shape, and an octopus has eight arms, October is the tenth month. Why is it not the eighth month? To find the answer we must journey back to the ancient Roman Empire. At that time, the Roman calendar had 10 months. The months were Martius (March), Aprilis (April), Maius (May), Lunius (June), Quintilis (5^th month), Sextilis (6^th month), September (7^th month), October (8^th month), November (9^th month) and December (10^th month). While the first four months were named for Roman gods, the last six simply had the number in the name. With more understanding of the solar year, the calendar was adjusted with two months, Ianuarius (January) and Februarius (February), being added to the beginning of the year resulting in October becoming the tenth month.

Additionally, Quintilis, now the 7^th month, was renamed Julius (July) in honor of Julius Caesar and Sextilis, now the 8^th month, was renamed Augustus (August) in honor of Emperor Augustus).

A note to help increase your understating of English, when you see the prefixes “quint” or “penta’ meaning 5, “sext” or “hexa” meaning 6, “sept” or “hepta” meaning 7, “octo” meaning 8, “nona” meaning 9, or “deca” or (deci) meaning 10 at the beginning of a word, it could be telling you that word is associated with that number. Woman gives birth to septuplets in a first known case in Iraq.

Erik

Here Comes the Boom

2023年10月2日

The college football season in the US is now in full effect. Of course, being from Savannah, Georgia I am a huge University of Georgia fan. Georgia has one of the most iconic mascots in all of college sports. It is a white English bulldog. The current line of bulldogs started in 1956. The first bulldog was given to Sonny Seiler as a wedding present. Since then there have been eleven bulldogs who have served as the official mascot. The bulldog’s name is UGA (pronounced uh-gah). UGA is present at all home games, many away games and even some bowl games. UGA even has his own air-conditioned doghouse. He wears a spiked collar and red sweater with the letter G on it. This years UGA is new (his name before becoming the official UGA was Boom) and he will be there at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia to “bark on” the DAWGS to victory. On a sad note UGA’s owner Sonny Seiler died in August 2023 at the age of 90. He will be remembered as a “Good Dawg”.

Rick

Wine – the drink of gods.

2023年09月26日

Autumn is here and so is grape harvesting, the first step in the process that produces a drink that is fit for the gods: wine. Do you know how grape turns into wine? It’s not that complicated actually however one needs a lot of experience to get it right. The (very) basic process is as follows: you start with picking the grapes, then you crush them to release their juice (see pic on the right, doing it the old-fashioned way). Next store the grape juice, it’s actually called stum at this point, in a suitable container, ideally oak barrels or stainless-steel containers. Then you wait until most of the sugar present in the grape juice turns into alcohol via natural fermentation. You may add yeast to aid the process. Then you bottle it and there you have it, new wine. Of course, there are an infinite number of small steps that will affect the taste of the final product, such as the actual pressing process, controlling the stum (grape juice after pressing), adding of sugar or sulfur, filtering the wine, storing temperature, etc, etc. Nevertheless, if it’s done right you’ll have a wonderful drink that, in small quantities, is actually good for health.

“Never trust a man who doesn’t drink because he’s usually afraid of something deep down inside, either that he is a coward or a fool or mean and violent.” — James Crumley

Alex

National Teddy Bear Day

2023年09月18日

Teddy Bear Day is celebrated on the 9^th September every year. This is a day to appreciate the companionship that your Teddy Bear gives you. So, bring out your beloved bear and give it a hug.

The teddy bear is one of the most popular toys for children, and holds a special place in many adults’ hearts, too. This lovable stuffed animal has a day all of its own, National Teddy Bear Day.

This day is an ideal time to get together with others for a teddy bear’s favorite activity, having a picnic, as immortalized in the classic song, ‘Teddy Bear’s Picnic.’ This was written in 1907, shortly after teddy bears were first manufactured in Europe and America.

The American toy bears were named Teddy, in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt, who had refused to shoot a small captured bear on a hunting trip.

Many teddy bears have become famous over the years, including Paddington Bear, which is my favourite, Rupert Bear, Pudsey Bear and, of course, Winnie the Pooh.

Can you name any famous bears?

Richard

The first day of fall marks the autumn equinox, which is different from a solstice

2023年09月11日

Information from Ayana Archie

Fall starts on a day officially known as the autumn equinox.
Both equinoxes and solstices only happen twice a year — the first days of fall and spring are equinoxes, while the first days of summer and winter are solstices.
How are they different?

What is an equinox?
On the day of an equinox, the Earth is tilting neither toward or away from the sun, and therefore receives almost an equal amount of daylight and darkness, according to the National Weather Service.
At places along the equator, the sun is directly overhead at about noon on these days. Day and night appear to be equal due to the bending of the sun’s rays, which makes the sun appear above the horizon when it is actually below it.
During an equinox, days are slightly longer in places with higher latitudes. At the equator, daylight may last for about 12 hours and seven minutes. But at a place with 60 degrees of latitude, such as Alaska’s Kayak Island, a day is about 12 hours and 16 minutes.

What is a solstice?
On the day of a solstice, the Earth is at its maximum tilt, 23.5 degrees, either toward or away from the sun.
During a summer solstice, the sun is directly above the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere and is tilting toward the sun, causing the longest day of the year. It is winter in the Southern Hemisphere, where the Earth is tilting away from the sun.
Likewise, a winter solstice happens in the Northern Hemisphere when the hemisphere is tilting away from the sun, making it the day with the least amount of sunlight. The sun is above the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere, making it summer there.

(GRANT)

Changed My Mind

2023年09月4日

When I was growing up sometimes for dinner my mom served Brussels sprouts. I hated them. They were a small bitter slimy cabbage like vegetable. I refused to eat them. I tried to give them to the dog, but he just walked away. My mom being smarter than my six-year self, suggested that if I ate them I could get to watch thirty extra minutes of cartoons that night. “I changed my mind”, as I grudgingly gobbled them down and drinking two full glasses of milk in the process.

In todays world there are a lot of things going wrong. The weather, economy and many other things are all bad according to the media. But how about if we just changed our minds. A lot recently has been talked about “mental health”. But sometimes this has become negative as it focuses on selfishness and what I feel. How about just focusing on the positives like being thankful for the things in our lives, and thinking of others. I was taught to reflect on love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. We can transform ourselves by the renewing of our minds to do what is good.

Rick

Festive Summer Traditions From Around The World

2023年08月29日

The Best Summer Celebrations Across The Planet

Alaska

In Fairbanks, Alaska, which is far enough north that it experiences a period of complete daylight during the summer, you can experience the Midnight Sun Game, a late-night baseball game that’s been held for more than a century. The tradition began in 1906 as a bet between two bars following a big fire that ravaged downtown Fairbanks.

Australia

Australia might be the country that’s most famous for its barbecue culture (or should we say: barbie), but Aussies have a thing for picnics during the summer — so much so that the first Monday of August has become a government-sanctioned picnic holiday in Northern Australia. This day was first designated to celebrate the emancipation of Chinese railway workers in Australia.

Spain

Various towns throughout Spain observe midsummer with bonfires and fireworks, but the most famous and idiosyncratic of Spain’s summer celebrations is La Tomatina, which is when people in the town of Buñol get a little rowdy and pelt each other with tomatoes. Held in August, La Tomatina often attracts tens of thousands of participants who are willing to wear the season’s juiciest produce literally on their sleeves.

Grant

Are You Speaking English?

2023年08月21日

Did you know that English speakers sometimes have difficulty understanding each other? Having worked with and gotten to know people from different English-speaking countries while living here in Japan, I have been exposed to a few of the many English dialects. English dialects differ between countries and also regions within countries just like in Japan. English dialects differ in pronunciation, word usage, grammar and spelling. To those not accustomed to a certain dialect, it can seem like the other person is not speaking correct English or in some cases, English at all. This happened to me when I took my first trip out of the U.S. I went to the U.K. with my family to visit some relatives who live near London. At the airport in London, an airport worker asked me, “Are you here on holiday?” To this I answered, “No, I’m here on vacation.” The airport worker chuckled, and my father quickly informed me that “holiday” meant “vacation” in the U.K. So, what caused the confusion? It was a different understanding of the word “holiday”. Below is a chart that explains the differences. Erik

What to use? Holiday or Vacation

Holiday in the USA Holiday in the UK

A single day when banks, schools A time when we do not go to school

and offices are closed. or work, and can travel or relax.

The holidays Vacation in the UK

The time that includes Christmas, A period of the year when universities

Hanukkah and the New Year. are officially closed for the students.

Vacation in the USA

A time when we do not go to school

or work and can travel or relax

A sport for summer

2023年08月7日

Water polo. Have you heard of it?Hopefully you have as it’s a great game for summer and it was one of the sports played in Fukuoka during the World Aquatics Championships last month. Water, swimming, a ball and fun. You could call it team-handball in a pool, I suppose. On a professional level it is extremely demanding as it is played in a pool that’s about 2 meter-deep, so the players’ feet never touch the bottom. The players are strong, powerful, great swimmers with exceptional endurance as the game is played over four quarters, each lasting 8 minutes. It doesn’t sound too long until you realize that they constantly thread water to stay afloat, while swimming, shooting, passing and fighting off opponents. Japan is getting better at it, both the men’s and the women’s team. The men’s team moved from 14th in 2008 to 9th in 2023 and the women rose from 17th in 2008 to 8th in 2023 in world ranking. No small feat when playing against the best teams in the world, such as Hungary, Spain, and Serbia on the men’s side and Hungary, the US and Spain on the women’s side (current world ranking). Why don’t you watch some games the Japanese teams played, on Youtube for instance, and see if it something that would interest you. And if you can, try to watch underwater footage to see the incredible, and often very painful, action that goes on below the surface. Alex

Summer in England. Norfolk beaches.

2023年08月1日

Norfolk, on the east coast of England, is a great place to enjoy the long and sometimes hot days of the great British summer. The gentle undulating ground is very fertile and therefore rich in plant and wildlife. You will see many wild flowers, ancient woodland and some rare species of butterfly and birds.

Norfolk’s beaches are a great place at any time of the year, but especially in summer. There are miles upon miles of golden sandy beaches for you to discover. In fact, it’s one of the few places in England, that you can still find a quiet secluded beach, even in August!

Norfolk has some of the best and most beautiful beaches in England and are little known about. Here are some hidden gems.

Titchwell, which is actually best known as a RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) nature reserve.

Scolt Head Island, is a National Nature Reserve. An island of this type is called a sandbar. It’s 4 miles long and near mud flats, wide sandy beaches, salt marshes and sear grass.

Snettisham, is a beach that is very near to King Charles III summer house in Sandringham. You can have beautiful walks along this beach.

Cart Gap, a quiet beach but with great facilities.

Weybourne Hope, this is a pebble beach so there is no sand. However, you can still have a nice experience walking along the beach and on the clifftops. It is a very peaceful beach. Fishing is popular here, especially you can see fisherman bringing in mackerel.

Other beaches along England’s Norfolk coast.

Richard

Watermelon Culture Shock

2023年07月24日

Whenever we encounter a new culture, there is the possibility that we may have some culture shock. Culture shock is the feeling of confusion, disappointment, or surprise about something when someone visits a country or place that they do not know. When I first came to Japan, I had a number of culture shock moments, but there is one that comes to my mind whenever I think about buying a watermelon.

In the summer of my first year in Japan, I was invited to a barbeque and was asked to either bring drinks, a watermelon or paper plates, napkins, chopsticks, etc. I thought it would be easiest to get the watermelon, so I volunteer to pick one up. On the day of the barbeque, I went to the supermarket and found myself wishing I had not volunteered to buy one. I was having culture shock. The watermelon I needed to buy was ¥3,000 (this was in 1998). I couldn’t believe it. ¥3,000 for a watermelon! Watermelons are supposed to be cheap. I was expecting to pay around ¥500 as they were less than $5 in my hometown in the U.S. at that time. Despite not wanting to, I bought the watermelon. The barbeque was a lot of fun, but in the back of my mind, I was still having culture shock over how much I spent on that watermelon. Erik

Beachtime

2023年07月17日

Grab your flip-flops, a towel and a bottle of sunscreen and head out to the beach. You don’t need much more to enjoy the best beaches on the East Coast; they’re some of the best beaches in America. Just keep an eye on the kids and let them build sandcastles while you throw out a line to fish or lounge under your hat with the latest bestseller. While these Atlantic beaches are family-friendly, they also have lots of adult appeal. Some offer galleries and eateries to explore, others shopping at high-end shops and enjoying fine dining. According to thetravel.com these are the 10 most beautiful east coast beaches:

10 Flagler Beach, Florida

9 Surfside Beach, Nantucket, Massachusetts

8 Huntington Beach, South Carolina

7 Ocean City Beach, Maryland.

6 Race Point Beach In Cape Cod, Massachusetts

5 Ocracoke Lifeguard Beach, North Carolina

4 Siesta Beach, Florida

3 Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

2 Bethany Beach, Delaware

1 Cape May Beach, New Jersey

But I don’t think any of them match to the beauty of Tybee Island, Georgia where I lived for a couple of summers during high school. Remember, life’s too short to not enjoy the beach.

Rick

Grand Living

2023年07月10日

Grand Living.

It must be nice to be a king. Or a queen.

Would you like to try? You can and you don’t even need to be “blue blood”.

All you need is a couple of free days and a ticket to “Old-Europe” to feel like a royal, even if only for a day or two. East-European country-sides are dotted with nobles’ castles converted into hotels where the experience is luxurious yet charming, elegant and historic at the same time. You can truly enjoy beautiful architecture, antique furnishings and feasts fit for a king or queen. And if you are really lucky you might even meet with one of the pervious owners’ ghost in the corridors after midnight There are many styles from baroque to renaissance, from hunting castle to elegant palace. So, save up a bit of money, choose a style of your liking and you can experience what must have been a truly grand living all those centuries ago.

Yes, these are all hotels, which do you fancy?

As for me, I’m going to stay in the castle in the top left corner this summer. Do you envy me? Alex

Why not take a trip on the Norfolk Broads this summer?

2023年07月3日

The lakes, known as The Norfolk Broads, in the east of England (East Anglia) were formed by the flooding of peat workings many years ago. The area is 303 square kilometres (117 square miles), most of which is in Norfolk, with over 200 kilometres (120 miles) of navigable waterways. There are seven rivers and 63 broads, mostly less than 4 metres (13 feet) deep. Thirteen broads are generally open to navigation, with a further three having navigable channels. Some broads have navigation restrictions imposed on them in autumn and winter.

The area attracts all kinds of visitors, including ramblers, artists, anglers, and birdwatchers as well as people “messing about in boats”. There are a number of companies hiring boats for leisure use, including both yachts and motor launches. The Norfolk wherry, the traditional cargo craft of the area, can still be seen on the Broads as some specimens have been preserved and restored. The Norfolk Broads are a hive of natural wildlife

The Norfolk Broads…………enjoy yourselves!!!　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Richard

British Folklore

2023年06月26日

Windsor Castle

Hector Bolitho, writing in 1943, reported sightings of two royal ghosts in Windsor Castle, the first being Elizabeth I:

As recently as a quarter of a century ago (c. 1918), a Guards officer was reading quietly in the Castle library one evening, near the part which survived from Elizabeth’s gallery, and he claimed afterwards that he had seen her ghost passing quietly before him. He did not know until afterwards that this was one of the few parts of the Castle which she had built and decorated.

The second story concerns George III, who during the years of his ‘madness’ spent some time confined to a suite of rooms in the castle and used to enjoy looking from the windows towards the Thames. Whenever sentries patrolling the terrace below looked up and saw him there, they would salute, and the king would raise his hand in acknowledgement.

Long after George III died, the sentry on the terrace looked up at the window one evening and saw a hand parting the curtains. The ghost of George III looked down at the soldier, and a pale hand was raised to the salute. The curtains fell back and the terrified soldier ran to his companion on the East Terrace. Soldiers came to hate their vigil on the North Terrace, for the ghost appeared again and again, until the death of William IV when the Hanoverian regime ended and the ghost apparently retired into tranquillity.

(Grant)

A Flower Teaches English

2023年06月19日

A Flower Teaches English

While most people do not enjoy the rainy season, the hydrangea that bloom this time of year are truly something to look forward to. With Sogosando Temple and Tako Town having impressive displays, these wet weather loving plants can easily be enjoyed locally.

Aside from being beautiful, hydrangea can also teach English. Looking at the word ‘hydrangea’, we see that it starts with ‘hydra’ which is a variation of ‘hydro’ which means ‘water’ in Ancient Greek. Knowing this, anytime we see a word that has ‘hydra’ or ‘hydro’ we understand that it has something to do with water. Have you ever taken a hydrofoil from Tokyo to Oshima? Have you ever visited the hydropower plant at Kurobe Dam? How often do you drink something to keep yourself hydrated? Thanks to hydrangea, we now have a greater understanding of English. Erik

Summer Camp

2023年06月12日

One of my favorite things about summer was working at summer camp while I was in college. I enjoyed sleeping in a tent all summer and enjoying all the activities that I got to do with the kids and teens. I enjoyed swimming, zip-lining, canoeing, and hiking. It was great to see God’s creation away from the real world. The stars were so bright outside the city and I loved the summer sounds of frogs croaking and crickets singing. My favorite summer camp was Haluwasa (Halleluiah What A Savior) which is in southern New Jersey. I worked there about 7 years in various roles. I sometimes wish I could go back and enjoy another summer away from the hustle and bustle of the real world. Here are a couple of photos to get you interested in summer camp at Haluwasa.

Rick

One cube.

2023年06月5日

One cube.

43,252,003,274,489,856,000 possibilities.

One solution.

Can you solve it? It’s been almost exactly 50 years since Hungarian professor of architecture Ernő Rubik invented the puzzle, in 1974, that captured the imagination of millions of people around the world. To date about 450 million of the colorful little cube has been sold and it is as popular as ever. Have you ever tried to solve it? It’s a deceptively simple object yet it can be frustratingly difficult to solve. According to his own admission it takes Mr. Rubik about a minute to do. The current world record is 3.67 seconds! That is just incredible! My time is embarrassingly slow, no need to put in writing. If you don’t have it why don’t you buy one so you can be part of the millions of people who enjoy playing with it. I first learned to solve it in high school but still find myself playing with it when I am bored or stressed. I suggest you give it a swirl. Alex

Sandringham in Bloom, Norfolk, England.

2023年05月29日

Sandringham Estate in North Norfolk remains the private summer house and country retreat to Their Majesties King Charles III and The Queen Consort.

This year it is hosting a new event, “Sandringham in Bloom,” which will showcase all things flora and fauna. The celebrations will take place in all areas of the House, Gardens, and facilities at the Courtyard for nine days in June.

There will be live music, expert advice from gardeners, and a gin bar in the Gardens on weekends. As part of this event, the Queen Elizabeth II Floral Coronation Robe will be on display at Sandringham House. The Queen Elizabeth II Floral Coronation Robe from Salisbury Cathedral will form part of the displays inside Sandringham House. Made by a team of 24 floral arrangers the Robe is a combination of Pampas Grass, Ruscus Leaves, Ferns and Helichrysum Flowers.

Sandringham in Bloom

Enjoy Yourselves!　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Richard

English May Day Celebrations

2023年05月22日

Morris Dancing

Morris dancing is a traditional English form of folk dance which is also performed in other English-speaking countries such as the USA and Australia. The roots of Morris dancing seem to be very old, probably dating back to the Middle Ages. From around April and through the green summer months troupes of Morris Dancers adorned with ribbons will be seen in market towns and on village greens up and down the land. You are especially likely to see them performing their medieval dances to the click clack of their sticks and the sound of bells, pipes, and drums, around the month of May.

In the dance men dress up in costumes with hats and ribbons and bells around their ankles. They dance through the streets and one man often carries an inflated pig’s bladder on the end of a stick. He will run up to young women in the street and hit them over the head with the pig’s bladder, this is supposed to be lucky!

Grant

What Did I Just Eat?

2023年05月15日

One of the great things about traveling is the new experiences you get to have. However, some of these experiences can leave you greatly surprised, and I had such an experience my very first morning in Japan.

I awoke to a new world and went in search of breakfast. No supermarkets were open, and I had not yet learned how convenient convenience stores are in this country. Near where I was staying was a bakery/donut shop, so I went inside and found a wide range of baked goods. I picked out a sausage roll, an egg sandwich and a donut. Usually, when I have something sweet with a meal, I eat the sweet item last. I finished the first two items and took a bite of the donut expecting sweetness but received a shock when I tasted something completely unexpected. It was curry bread not the sweet jam filled donut I was expecting. While I enjoy curry bread now, at that moment, it was not tasty at all.

In English there are a couple of sayings for this situation, “Looks can be deceiving,” and “Never judge a book by its cover.” These can be used when talking about something or someone being different from what you first thought. Erik

The Curious Case Of Sidd Finch

2023年05月8日

The WBC and spring training are finished (and what a great WBC it was for Otani and Samurai Japan), so it is now time to play ball for MLB. Growing up in Georgia it was always the Atlanta Braves who interested the fans down South. I remember in the 1980’s rooting for Dale Murphy, Bob Horner, and the great Phil “Knucksie” Niekro who was known for his famous knuckleball pitch. There was a story that came out on April 1, 1985 from the New York Mets training camp that was written in Sports Illustrated about a rather peculiar pitcher. His name was Sid Finch, and legend was that he could throw a ball 158 mph (270 kph). He was said to have spent time in Tibetan monastery learning how focus and learn his inner chi. He would spend hours doing yoga and playing the French horn. He was very reclusive and would practice in secret away from his teammates. One afternoon he gave an audition to his manager and a couple of players. He came out of the dugout with his hat turned backwards, wearing a heavy work boot on one foot, and the other one was barefoot. He threw straight-armed looking like a catapult. The radar gun said 158 mph as the catcher yelped in pain. Everyone was astonished by what they saw and the rumors spread throughout the club. It seemed too good to be true. And in reality, it was. This story was simply an April Fool’s joke gone well.

Rick

The Black Shuck. Part 3 of 3.

2023年05月1日

Apparently, sightings of The Black Shuck have been reported ever since that first lightning crack. The first being written down in 1850.Such as people describe having seen a massive black shaggy dog, with fiery red eyes and who visits churchyards at midnight.

It is said, that seeing The Black Shuck could be an omen of death or, some people say that it is, a sociable and friendly beast.

The most recent sighting occurring in 1945.

So,if your travels ever take you to Suffolk in East Anglia……………, WATCH OUT for storms!!!

Richard

Space.

2023年04月25日

Space.

The final frontier.

Beautiful, isn’t it? When you look up in the dark sky and see those beautiful twinkling lights, do you ever wonder what’s it like to be up there, all alone, just you and the millions of stars? Well, some people have experienced that feeling, they are called cosmonauts. And not only humans, animals did too. The first animal that went into space and into orbit around the Earth was Laika, a dog. It was followed by the first man, Yuri Gagarin, he was only 27 years old. Next, the first and youngest woman on a solo mission was Valentina Tereshkova. She was even younger than Gagarin, only 26 when she blasted off. Do you know what all three of them have in common…? They were all Russians.

In fact, the first man-made object in space was also Russian, called Sputnik, (or Companion). And the first man-made object landing on, more like crashing into, the moon was also Russian made, Luna 2. So sometime in the far future, when humans will have colonized the galaxy, they can thank those brave Russians who risked their lives for all of humanity’s future.

Alex

The differences between British and American spelling

2023年04月17日

Generally speaking, most English words are spelt the same in American and British English. However, there are some notable spelling differences.

Listed below are just some examples of spelling differences you may encounter:

-our (British) vs. -or (American)

Examples: colour vs. color, armour vs. armor, flavour vs. flavor

-ise or -ize (British) vs. only -ize (American)

Examples: apologise vs. apologize, fantasise vs. fantasize, idolise vs. idolize

-yse (British) vs. –yze (American)

Examples: analyse vs. analyze, paralyse vs. paralyze

Doubling the L in a verb conjugation (British) vs. keeping the single L (American)

Examples:travelled vs. traveled, labelling vs. labeling

AE (British) vs. E (American)

Examples:leukaemia vs. leukemia, paediatrics vs. pediatrics

-ence (British) vs. -ense (American)

Examples: defence vs. defense, licence vs. license

only -ogue (British) vs. -og or -ogue (American)

Examples:catalogue vs. catalog, dialogue vs. dialog

-re (British) vs. -er (American)

Examples:metre vs. meter, centre vs. center

-t (British) vs. -ed (American)

Examples:burnt vs. burned, dreamt vs. dreamed, leapt vs. leaped

In addition, some specific words are spelt differently in American and British English. Some examples include airplane (American) and aeroplane (British), gray (American) and grey (British), and tire (American) and tyre (British).

(Grant)

Did You Know the Date of Easter Changes Every Year?

2023年04月10日

Easter this year is on April 9, but last year it fell on April 17, and next year it will be on March 31. So, why does Easter’s date change every year? It is because the date of Easter is dependent on two things. The first is that Easter always come after the Vernal Equinox which is usually March 20, 21 or 22. The other is the full moon. So, to figure out the date of Easter, just remember that Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox. That is why the date changes every year.

For many people, Easter is a time of cute rabbits, eggs and flowers as the new life of spring is celebrated. For many others, it is a time when the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is celebrated. In many churches around the world, the pastor says on Easter Sunday morning, “Jesus is risen,” and the people say, “He is risen indeed.” This fact has changed many lives, including mine, as we have found the new life and the peace that comes in personally knowing Jesus Christ. Erik

The Masters

2023年04月3日

Spring is in the air. It is getting warmer and the flowers are blooming. Spring was my favorite season when I was growing up. Probably the main reason is my birthday is in March. Growing up in Augusta, Georgia the Masters Golf Tournament was always a favorite event in the spring. With the lush green fairways and the pastels of the azalea and dogwood blossoms, Augusta National is always a remainder of how colorful spring is. I remember watching with my dad when I was a kid, as Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson would battle it out for the coveted “green jacket”. Hideki Matsuyama was the champion in 2021, becoming the first Japanese player to win a major on the PGA tour. Who will win this year? Tune in to TBS TV to find out. Rick

The City of Canals

2023年03月27日

Have you ever wondered why people would build a city over a bunch of islands?

118 islands to be exact?

Well, one good reason would be to escape an army of horseman led by the Scourge of God himself aka (also known as) Attila the Hun.

Perhaps you have heard of him in your history class. His ancient Hunnic empire stretched from central Asia all the way across to modern-day France with its headquarters in Pannonia, in today’s Hungary.

He had such a terrible reputation in most of Europe, especially in the Roman Empire, that when he invaded modern day Italy from the north in the year of 452 people from cities in his army’s path fled into the marshes to escape the attack and this has led to the founding of modern-day Venice, also called The City of Canals.

So, the next time you have the good fortune of visiting this beautiful city you might want to remember this little tidbit.

I did and told this story to my son when we were standing on the Rialto Bridge in Venice.

His name is Attila.

Alex

The Black Shuck. Part 2 of 3.

2023年03月20日

The Black Shuck according to legend, first appeared in the summer of 1577 when a horrible storm shook the town of Bungay, Suffolk.

The locals people took refuge in the church, when, suddenly a massive crack of lightning caused the doors of the church to burst open, and, in the middle of the church…. a massive ghostly black dog appeared.

It had flaming red eyes like the devil. It attacked anyone who crossed its path. Before it disappeared and moved on to a nearby town, where it began all over again.

To be continued………

Richard

“Little Molly”, The Pig Born With Wings

2023年03月13日

(Actual photo of “Little Molly”) Image courtesy of www. yaudabistro.com

Don’t believe that pigs can fly? Well think again.

According to Mark Miller, who is a journalist, humorist and author on huffpost.com, thanks to genetic modification, pigs can fly.

In a groundbreaking development at the Veterinary Sciences Division at Queens University Belfast, Ireland, research specialist Dr. Kevin O’Farrell has successfully combined the DNA of a pig and an eagle to create a flying pig, or a “peagle,” as O’Farrell has dubbed the new critter.

O’Farrell was jubilant as “the little porker, Molly, began flapping her wings and straight away flew out of the laboratory, down the hallway and out the front door!”

Belfast citizens were shocked. “I couldn’t believe my eyes,” exclaims waitress Catherine Cassidy. “That white and brown pig passed right overhead, and fast, too, making both pig and eagle sounds! I nearly wet myself!”

Shoe repair store owner, Gilbert Fitzpatrick, was just leaving his shop when “both pig and bird poop fell from above to the street in front of me. I looked up, saw a small pig with wings flying overhead, and made a vow right then and there to give up drinking!” Fortunately, an Irish Air Corps jet was able to intercept and safely capture the peagle, and then return it safely to O’Farrell.

Grant

Is There Such a Thing as Bad Weather?

2023年03月6日

All of us have experienced some plan being disrupted by bad weather. We were planning to go out, but it rained, so we stayed at home. We were out, but then the weather was too cold, so we went inside. Bad weather is a nuisance, but what if there was no bad weather? How wonderful that would be! Our plans would never be ruined by the weather.

In the Scandinavian countries of Sweden and Norway, the people don’t let the bad weather ruin their plans. In fact, for these people there is no such thing as bad weather. That’s right! Swedes and Norwegians say, “There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes.” In Swedish and Norwegian, the words for “weather” rhyme with the words for “clothes” giving this saying a singsong feel.

So, the next time the weather looks like it might disrupt your plans, just remember, the weather is not the problem, the problem is your clothes.

Erik

Climbing a mountain.

2023年02月27日

Have you ever climbed a mountain?

Why would you want to, you ask? But of course, because it’s there! So, why not give it a try? Mt. Fuji is right there, ready for the taking. Just strap on a pair of hiking boots, grab some rain gear, just in case, and off you go. Pick a sunny, mid-summer day and enjoy the great outdoors.

It is exactly what Yuchiro Miura did, however his mountain of choice was not Mt. Fuji, rather the highest mountain in the world, Mt. Everest! And the man wasn’t some wide-eyed teenager either, the last time he climbed Mt. Everest, the last time because he had reached the summit not once, not twice but three times!, he was at the ripe age of 80 years and 224 days. Which makes him the oldest person to have ever climbed the mountain. The first time he reached the summit he was 70, the second time he did it he was 75 and the last time he climbed, in 2013, he was over 80! That is an achievement probably never to be bested. So, the next time you are facing some difficulty and are ready to give up just think of Mr. Miura, let him be your guiding example of grit, will and perseverance.

Alex

The Black Shuck. Part 1 of 3

2023年02月20日

With it being Setsubun season in Japan and the time to keep evil spirits away; I will share with you a tail of evil that existed (or still exists) near my hometown in England a long long time ago.

This is the story, myth or even legend of folklore……… of The Black Shuck.

The Black Shuck, is said to roam the coastline and countryside of East Anglia.

The Black Shuck is the name given to a ghostly mysterious shape with fiery eyes and of immense size, and who visits churchyards at midnight.

To be continued…………

Richard

Love Is In the Air

2023年02月13日

In the land where people give chocolates to everyone (spouses, family, co-workers, and even teachers) Valentine’s Day can be very confusing in Japan. In the US couples usually give flowers, a nice box of chocolates, or even jewelry to their sweetheart. Children give a card and candy hearts to each other in kindergarten or elementary school. I recall my first year in Japan when a co-worker gave me some chocolates and I was thinking, “does she like me?” It took a little a research to understand it was just an appreciation gift. But what is love? Some people say it is a feeling. I believe it has more to do with uncompromising acceptance of another person. I believe, “ Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right.” Happy Valentine’s Day!!

Rick

What is Boxing Day and where is it celebrated?

2023年02月6日

クリスマス翌日のボクシング・デーとは？歴史や背景など | DMM ...

The name “Boxing Day” came from the boxes placed in churches for the collection of donations for those in need. On December 26, clergy members of the church would take these boxes and give the donations and food to the poor in honour of the feast of St. Stephen, a Christian martyr known for kindness and charitable acts. St. Stephen holds so much significance that in Ireland, Boxing Day is referred to as St. Stephen Day. Boxing Day is associated with the United Kingdom. Other countries that celebrate it are part of the commonwealth, the nations that used to be British colonies. So, residents from the United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand widely observe the holiday.

Grant

Happy New Year!

2023年01月27日

Happy New Year! Miffy and My Melody fans must be happy as it is the year of the rabbit here in Japan. With long ears, cute tails and faces and a gentle hop, rabbits are a well-liked animal around the word. Yet, did you know that there is a rabbit that has horns? That’s right. In the western part of the USA there is a rabbit that has horns. It is called a Jackalope. Jack comes from ‘jackrabbit’, and ‘alope’ is from antelope. Rarely seen, this most unusual rabbit can run at over 100 kilometers per hour, mimic a human voice and sing songs. If you ever get the chance to visit the Western USA, keep your eyes peeled for the Jackalope. You never know when you might see one, but if you don’t, you can always visit the city of Douglas in the state of Wyoming and take your picture with a 2.4-meter-tall statue of this amazing animal.

Erik