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Showing posts from October, 2025

October 29, 2025 - What is News to You?

For nearly two months we have been reading and commenting on various things. Most of these were decided by me, but now it is your turn! What is something newsworthy to you? Tell us about some event that has happened between September 1st, 2025 and October 29, 2025.  This event must be major Japanese or world news. It is not about you and your friend wanting to go to USJ in 2 weeks. There must be some new source from tv or internet that reported on this news.  Please share a link of this news and give an explanation of what the news is all about in 100 words or more. This will be the last regular class. We will begin our final project on Monday. It will take several days so please be here and do not miss it!

October 27, 2025 - Dead Media

 Today we will talk about "dead media."  Here is a story you might not know, but is 100% true!! MySpace  was the first big social media website. It started in 2003 and quickly became popular, especially with young people. Users could make profiles, add friends, post updates, and share photos. 20 years ago, Myspace was the most visited social networking site in the world. Because of its huge success, Myspace was sold to News Corporation in 2005 for  $580 million . At the time, people thought it would keep growing forever! But then Facebook came along. It was cleaner, simpler, and more organized. At first, in 2003 it was only for college students. You needed a university email. In the US, this was .edu. A "face book" itself used to be a real thing that universities would print and give to students that would tell a little bit about someone, so you could make friends more easily. It is the opposite of a  "year book" which is given out after school ends, and i...

October 22, 2025 - Living History!

 I don't need to tell you the big news in Japan. There is new Prime Minister! The first woman to ever hold the position in Japanese history!  Read all about it! I don't really have an opinion on her yet, because she just started the job yesterday! But it seems like Japan goes through PMs very fast! So will she stay around a long time or be out in a year?  The only PM I could support would eliminate all taxes, and raise the value of the yen back to 100 for $1US! But you know how the old saying goes. Wish in one hand... I think it might be good to  have a female leader. For one, people can stop complaining that Japan is run by "old men" but I don't think it really matters much one way or the other. If you're good you're good and if you're bad, you're bad. Time will tell. In a greater sense, it is a big change, because the coalition that ran things for decades is now over, the landscape will be different from that for at least a while. Please leave yo...

October 20, 2025 - My Favorite Comic!

 Today let's talk about comics that we like. It could be from an individual book, the newspaper or from online. Explain what the comic is, what it is about and why you like it. Include a sample of at least 1 work from the comic and explain.   The comic MUST be in English, but if it is a translated Japanese work, that is ok!  NO obscene or vulgar images! If you can not show your grandmother, then it is NOT OK!!  My example: My favorite comic of all time is called "Calvin and Hobbes." It was printed from 1985-1995. It is no longer being made because the artist did not want the stories to become boring or unoriginal. The comic is still very good even though it is old. The story is about a boy named Calvin who has a toy tiger called Hobbes. When Calvin is alone, the tiger becomes real and he uses his imagination to do many exciting things. It reminds me of when I was a kid and imaginary things could feel real.  It looks like a kid's comic but the dialogue is often a...

October 15, 2025 - Mid Term Video Project

        Please watch this video and prepare a video response about what the interesting points of the video are and what you learned from it. Do you have any stories with a similar experience? The video should be no longer than 2 minutes. If you are shy and don't want to be on camera, that is OK but you do not need to make any special edits or studio magic. Just speak! This will count for 20 points and should be thought of as a test. I will be strict about scores and give lowe scores for low effort.  Good Luck!

October 13, 2025 - Game On!

             Let's talk about games! I have been playing games all my life, ever since I got a home version of Pac-Man for the Atari 2600 TV Game Machine for Christmas all the way back in 1982!! 43 years ago! WOW! Getting old..... I don't play games very often, and honestly I only play old-style games. Ones that are short and simple to learn. I don't have infinite time (like you) to play games all weekend! Plus I like what I grew up with, so I often just replay those games over and over.   This is what Pac Man on Atari 2600 looks like. I was shocked to hear that in 2023, 41 years after I got my 2600 from Santa, there is a NEW 2600! It is basically the same but can work with HDMI and is smaller, but still plays the same games. There are a few new games being made too. I feel like a kid again! This would be like Nintendo making a new DS or Wii in 2050! How about you? Tell me about what games you like to play, or what you are looking forward to....

Don't Forget!

         Were are 3 weeks into an 8 week class. It will soon be over before you know it! I think we are doing a good job, and I hope you are having fun. However we must clean up the blog and make sure everything is uniform for everyone in the class. 1- Name! Make sure your display name is written in English using English rules. Capital letters and first/last order. Example: Satoshi Tajiri. Not satoshi. Not satoshi tajiri. Not tajiri satoshi. Not Satoshi TAJIRI.  Same with the title. All blogs should have your name + 's Blog. Example Satoshi's Blog 2-Profile picture. You do not need you have a  photo of your face. However you can not have the orange B as your profile picture. 3- Color and style. Please make sure you have a color and style layout chosen that is not default. Any color is OK but give  your blog some unique personality! 4- ALL ENGLISH! Of course write in English, but also you should have your blog set to English with all buttons labele...

October 8, 2025 - Let's Eat!

                   Please search for some kind of unique food, not from Japan, (or your home country) mentioned on an English website. Do not use a Japanese website with google translate and do not translate an English website either! Also do not use wikipedia. That site is boring! Try to find a website made by some one who really likes cooking. Youtube videos are ok, but they had better be good! ^_^ It can be a restaurant review, a recipe, a festival or anything else. Please include the link to the page a photo, and write in 100 words or more your opinion about this food! Also,  Please do not talk about Balut from The Philippines !  That thing is so gross and everyone feels the need to talk about it. I never want to see one again in my entire life. My example: One of my favorite foods in the world is Pirogies! What is that? Well, its potatoes and cheese wrapped in a shell, then fried in butter! Oh it tastes so good. ...

October 6, 2025 - All About Music

   Please search the internet for a song in English that you enjoy. On your page, please write 100 words or more about why you like it. Also include some of the song lyrics  in the post, and embed the video from YouTube. You do not have to write all of the words of the song.  You can search lyrics  at this site. The song lyrics do not count as part of the 100 words, the lyrics must be in English. No Japanese songs are allowed.  Then post that link from your page to the comments here below When you finish, please read a classmate’s post and comment on how you like the song. Thank you ^=^ My example:   One of my favorite songs is "Ghostbusters III" by Nerf Herder. It was released in 2016. Nerf Herder is one of my favorite bands. The songs are very funny and often relate to pop culture and strange things you don't usually hear in songs. The name of the band Nerf Herder comes from Star Wars, if you did not know. Princess Leia called Han Solo a "nerf-herder...