Naturally ecological Silver Group

We often say, “grandma knows best.” Their wisdom ranges from ‘putting a garlic wrapped in a muslin and put it in a rice pale to keep the bugs away,’ ‘a glass can be cleaned using potato peels,’ ‘use unused wraps to make bags,’ etc. These silver age women have ample tricks of the trade that requires no money.

They are obviously not something you have to know or else and there are products you can buy to get the same results. However, if you do know, you can rid of all ‘unnecessities’ in life, tricks for a smart way of living. It’s not something they were taught in school or read in a book but a naturally acquired knowledge and technique as the generation who lived through a time of not having much materially.

This is why these ladies have a serious doubt towards this consumeristic way of life. “That extra plastic inside cracker packages aren’t necessary,” “too much over-wrapping,” “people replace something with new ones even if it’s still useable,” are some of their criticism about products out there. And they are not shy about sharing their piece of mind about the younger generation. The ‘MOTTAINAI’ spirit that advocates ‘using something until it becomes unusable’ and ‘think of ways to recycle before chucking it in a bin’ in this day and age when ecological issues are high on many people’s minds is actually their way of life as naturally eco-conscious individuals. For the silver ladies, the so-called new trends such as “3R (reuse/reduce/recycle)”, “slow life,” and “LOHAS” are mere extension of the lives they have always lived.

Let’s think about this for a moment. Do we ourselves have the knowledge that will win the comment, “Grandma knows best” when we age to be grandparents? With global warming becoming an increasing concern, isn’t it vital for us to incorporate these wisdoms of the generation before and pass it on to the generation after?



---Vocabulary---
naturally : 生まれつき
ecological : 環境保護の
grandma : おばあちゃん
wisdom : 知恵
range : 及ぶ、広がる、範囲（名）
garlic : にんにく
muslin : 布
wrap : 包む、布、包装紙
pale : 棚、範囲
keep away : 隔離する
bug : 虫
peel : 皮
ample : 豊富な
trick : 裏技、こつ
trade : 取引、仕事、職
obviously : 明らかに
rid of : 免れる、脱する
unnecesity : 不必要
generation : 世代、世代の人々
materially : 物質的に
serious : まじめな、重大な、深刻な
doubt : 疑い
consumeristic : 大量消費の
cracker : お菓子のクラッカー
necesarry : 必要な
usable ： 使用可能な（=useable）
criticism : 批評、非難、批判
shy : 内気な、照れ屋の
piece of : 一切れの、断片の
piece of mind : 小言、説教
advocate : 主張する、推奨する、擁護する
chuck : 投げる、捨てる
bin : ゴミ箱、容器
conscious : 意識、意識した
individual : 個人
so-called : いわゆる
such as : 例えば-など
reduce : 減らす
extention : 延長、拡張、内線（cf）
mere : 単なる

28.October.2007

Yesterday was Sunday.
After typhoon, it was sunny day.

I would wake up at 9:00 in order to watch MLB in what Daisuke Matsuzaka had been scheduled for startar.
Actually, I waked up at 10:30 when the game already started.
Yesterday, his condition was good compared with last two appearance.
And more, He drove in two runs that was the first incident in history of Japanese about MLB.
Eventually Boston Red Sox won the game and moved close to world champion.

On the other hand, Kazuo Matsui made three hits.
I think he contributed to Rockys extremely.

When the game finished, I made ready to pick up my family for wife's family home.
Through the highway, I need about 2 hours to arrive at there.
And more there was Tokyo Motor Show in Makuhari that was worldwide car event.
I had to go through Makuhari.
Therefore I thought to need more time than usual.
But I arrived at there on time that I had supposed.

My son slept when I arrived.
So I waited his wake-up while having tea and cake with my wife's family.

At 18 O'clock he waked up and we left there for our home.
On our way to home there were a lot of traffic jam especially capital highway.
Therefore we took a circuitous route that use Tokyo-Aqua-Line.
That is dramatic shortcut from Chiba to Kanagawa that run through under Tokyo Bay.
We only need about 10 minutes from Kisarazu in Chiba prefecture to Kawasaki in Kanagawa prefecture.

Thanks to this shortcut we arrived at home for 2 hours.
I was little tired.
Arter I took a bath with my son, he was going to be sleepy soon.
I watched comedy show and news on TV and went to bed.



---Vocabulary---
typhoon : 台風
sunny : 天気が良い
in order to : -するために
schedule : 予定する
starter : 先発
actually : 実際には
compared with : -と比較して
appearance : 登場、登板
and more : さらに
drive in : 打点を挙げる
indicent : 出来事
eventually : 結果
on the other hand : 他方
contribute to : 貢献する
extremely : すごく
make ready : 準備する
pick up : 迎えに行く
family home : 実家
go thorough : 通り抜ける
usual : いつも
on time : 時間通り
suppose : 予想する
traffic jam : 交通渋滞
capital highway : 首都高速
take a curcuitous : 遠回り
dramatic : 劇的な
shortcut : 近道
thanks to : -のおかげで
take a bath : お風呂に入る
sleepy : 眠い

Dragons even Japan Series one game apiece

Starter Kenichi Nakata gave up one run over eight innings Sunday as the Chunichi Dragons downed the Nippon Ham Fighters 8-1 to even the best-of-seven Japan Series one game apiece.

Nakata gave up three hits and walked only one batter while striking out five in a 106-pitch effort at Sapporo Dome.

The series now moves to Nagoya Dome for three games beginning on Tuesday.

Norihiro Nakamura doubled in a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning when the Dragons took a 4-0 lead.

Fernando Seguignol, who hit a three-run homer in Saturday's 3-1 win for the Fighters, responded with a solo shot in the bottom of the fourth, but that was all the scoring for Trey Hillman's team.

South Korean outfielder Lee Byung-kyu hit a two-run homer in the sixth and Masahiko Morino added another two-run blast in the seventh to put the game out of reach.

Hillman was hired by the Kansas City Royals to be their manager a week ago and is in his last year in Japan after a successful five-year stint as manager of the Fighters.

The best-of-seven series is a rematch of last year's championship, which the Pacific League's Fighters won in five games.

Nippon Ham starter Ryan Glynn took the loss after giving up four runs on three hits over 3-1/3 innings.

It is the first time in 14 years that the same teams are playing each other in the Japan Series in two consecutive years. The Seibu Lions and Yakult Swallows were the last teams to do so in 1992-1993.



---Vocabulary---
Solid : 固体、すばらしい（形）
Even : 等しい、同等の
Apiece : 個々に、おのおのにつき
Give up : （野球で）得点を許す、ヒットなどを許す
Run : （野球で）得点
Best-of-seven : 7試合中4試合に勝てばよい
Effort : 取り組み、努力
Double : （野球で）2ベースを打つ
Take a lead : （野球で）リードする
Respond : 対応する、（ここでは）反抗する
Hire : 雇う（他）、雇われる（自）
Stint : 期間
1/3 : one third、3分の1
Consecutive : 連続した
blast : 一振り、突風
our of reach : 手の届かないところへ

27.October.2007

We had typhoon yesterday.
It was so stormy weather during the day that I couldn't go out anywhere.

I waked up 11 O'clock that was late too.
First, I had breakfast and started to watch DVD.
I watched american drama "24" that is season 6 in english.
Because I think watching movie or foreign drama in english is effective to enhance english vocabulary and listening ability.

Violent wind was sharpen litlle by little at 17 O'clock.
I made ready to let my flower pots evacuate to safty place.
At last hurricane, strong wind crushed a few flower pots and we had to buy new one.
At 21 O'clock weather recovered.

Recently I was lazy about studying German.
I checked educational program that I usually recorded on Hard Disk Recorder.

By the way, I brought a few articles under internet auction.
If I got some money from this trading, I want to buy new iPod that is very light more then previous ones.
I wish they were obtained a high price.

Eventually I went to bed at 4 O'clock ante meridiem.
I have to change life rhythm.



---Vocabulary---
typhoon : 台風
stormy : 激しい
during the day : 日中
go out : 外出する
effective : 効果的
enhance : 強化する
violent : 暴力的な、激しい
sharpen : 強くなる、激しくなる
little by little : 少しずつ
make ready : 準備する
flower pot : 植木鉢
evacuate : 避難する
hurricane : 台風（=typhoon）
recover : 回復する
lazy : 怠けている
educational program : 教育番組
record : 録画する
bring - under auction : オークションに出品する
trading : 取引
light : 軽い
previous : 前の、これまでの
obtain a high price : 高値がつく
eventually : 最終的に
ante meridiem : 午前
rhythm : リズム

White Fronted Geese in MIYAGI

White fronted geese make the long migration to Japan from Siberia

White fronted geese have begun to migrate from Siberia to a swamp in northern Miyagi Prefecture to pass the winter.

Thousands of the geese sleep on the Izunuma swamp -- located near the cities of Kurihara and Tome, and protected under the Ramsar Convention -- at night, and fly to rice paddies to look for food during the day.

Experts say about 90 percent of white fronted geese that pass the winter in Japan are concentrated in northern Miyagi Prefecture, adding that they usually stay there until the next February.

So far, about 50,000 geese have flown to the area from Siberia, and that number will increase to 100,000 by next month.



---Vocabulary---
goose : ガチョウ、ガン　→geese（複）
white fronted goose : マガン（鳥）
　http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%9E%E3%82%AC%E3%83%B3
migration : 移住、移動、鳥の渡り
migrate : 移動する、移住する
swamp : 沼地、湿地、たまり場
sleep : 眠る、泊まる
Ramsar Convention : ラムサール条約、国際湿地条約
　http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%A9%E3%83%A0%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AB%E6%9D%A1%E7%B4%84
rice paddy : 水田、田んぼ　→rice paddies（複）
during the day : 昼間に、日中に
concentrate : 集中させる、集中する、一点に集める
add : 加える、言い足す
until : -まで
So far : 今までのところ
flown : flyの過去分詞
by next month : 来月までには
increase : 増える

26.October.2007

Yesterday, I waked up at 8 O'clock.
It was more early than recent days because my wife and my sun would come back home by train.
But they caught a cold, therefore I suggested extending their return.
Frankly speacking I wanted to avoid be infected with cold from them.

Everytime, they become any ill when they stay my wife's family home.
What is the reason ???

At noon, I went to business seminar concerning marketing starategy.
I was interested in that.
Instructor was a famous doctor of philosophy who belongs to Colombia Business School.
But I think translator of presentation was not good.
So I couldn't understand meaning of statement in spots.
If I have good listing ability, I could hear this presentation without translation.

When seminar finished, It was already 18 O'cliock.
Yesterday was friday so I didn't have energy to work.
I decided going back home.


---Vocabulary---
catch a cold : 風邪をひく
extend : 伸ばす、延期する
avoid : 避ける
infect : 感染する
become a ill : 病気にかかる、体調を崩す
family home : 実家
concerning : -に関する
instructor : 講師
doctor of philosophy : 博士
translator : 翻訳する人
statement : 声明
in spots : ところどころ
without : -なしに

Lucky Soul - Lips Are Unhappy

Shake, shake, shimmy.
You know that you soothe the aches and the troubles within me.
Pretending that everything’s cool,
When I’m twenty seven shades of blue,
And my lips are unhappy without you.
My lips are unhappy without you.

Honey suckle, you’re missing.
But I make the morning dew glisten,
By just hoping and wishing.
Pretending that I’ve got a clue.
When I’m twenty seven shades of blue,
And my lips are unhappy without you.
My lips are unhappy without you.

Shake, shake, shimmy, shimmy, etc etc etc



---Vocabulary---
lip : 唇
unhappy : 不運な、悲しい、不満で
shake a shimmy : シミーを踊る
shimmy : 1920年代に流行したダンス、振動する（自）
shake : 震える（自）、振る（他）
soothe : なだめる、和らげる（他）
soothe an ache : 痛みを和らげる
within : -の中の、-の心の中で
pretend : -のふりをする、見せかける、装う
cool : 冷たい、素晴らしい、冷静な
shade : 影
shade of blue : ブルー
suckle : 乳を飲む、-に授乳する、育てる
morning dew : 朝露
dew : 露、しずく
glisten : きらめく
get a clue : 手がかりをつかむ、わかる
clue : ヒント、てがかり

Hillman said Japanese baseball equal to MLB

Trey Hillman dismissed suggestions he may not be ready to manage in U.S. Major League Baseball because he never played or coached at American baseball's premier level, equating the Japanese big leagues with the United States.

"It all depends on what you believe is major league baseball," the new skipper of the Kansas City Royals said Monday, somewhat defensively."In my humble opinion, I've been a major league manager for the last five years. We get after it in Japan."

After being introduced on Monday as the Royals' 15th full-time manager, Hillman got ready to return to Japan to manage the Nippon Ham Fighters in their defense of Japan Series championship.

A veteran of 13 years managing in the New York Yankees minor league system, the 44-year-old Hillman has built the Fighters into a dominant team in Japan. He has managed in Japan for the past five years.

Hillman: Japanese baseball equal to American major leagues

And it's not as though he is a stranger to American baseball. After playing college ball for the University of Texas-Arlington, Hillman spent several years as a second baseman in the Cleveland Indians system, getting as high as Triple-A.

Nevertheless, for a U.S. MLB manager never to have been a player or coach in MLB is highly unusual.

"On many levels and on any given day, the quality of play (in Japan), I believe, is as good as it is here in the United States at the major league level," Hillman said.

His inexperience in U.S. MLB, he said, is not something he views as an issue.

"I have no anxiety about that because the game of baseball is the same all over the world. There's different styles and different ways of playing it," he said. "Really, what matters is the foundational relationships that you can build with your players and putting them in the best possible position to be successful."

With his wife, Marie, sitting on his left and his father and two sisters in the front row before him, Hillman declared this one of the best days of his life. He will replace Buddy Bell, who finished out the season after announcing in August that he would step down.

The Royals, despite signs of improving, finished last in the American League's Central Division for the fourth year in a row and have not been in the postseason since winning the 1985 World Series.

"I really couldn't be any happier today," Hillman said. "I'm a hungry guy. I do not like to lose. I like to start from the ground up and build in such a way where it's going to be maintained for many years to come. I'm a long-haul guy, too. I'm a loyal guy. I'm bleeding Royal blue already. I'm thrilled to be here. It's a wonderful day in my life."


---Vocabulary---
dismiss : 解散する（自）、解散させる（他）、却下する（他）
suggestion : 提案、示唆
may not : -化も知れない
equate : -を同等とみなす
skipper : 指揮官
some what : いくらか
defensively : 身構えて、防御的に
humble : 謙虚な、質素な
get after : -の後を追う
dominant : 有力な、主要な
equal : -に等しい
stranger : よそ者、奇妙な
as though : まるで-であるかのように
college : 大学
system : 組織、形式
usual : お決まりのもの（名）、通常の（形）
inexperience : 無経験
foundational : 基礎的な
replace : -を取り替える
step down : 引退する
despite : -にもかかわらず
sign : 兆し
improve : 好転する（自）、改善する（他）
in a row : 連続して
ground up : はじめから作り直す、ゼロから
maintain : 維持する、保持する、持続する、主張する
long-houl : 長時間かかる、長距離の
loyal : 忠実な
bleed : 血が出る、流れ出る
thrill : 興奮する（自）、興奮させる（他）

Lucky Soul - Add Your Light To Mine, Baby

Add your light to mine, baby.
Add your light to mine.
Add your light to mine, baby.
Together we could shine.

I’ve seen you dancing like no one was looking.
Beneath the fullest moon.
Oh some day soon.
I’m gonna find all the things I’ve been yearning for.
Are you coming too?

Add your light to mine, baby.
Add your light to mine.
Add your light to mine, baby.
Together we could shine.

All the rubbish that ever surrounds us.
Could make a stone wall cry.
But someday I’m,
Going to leap out of this hole and you can too,
If you’re by my side.

Add your light to mine, baby.
Add your light to mine.
Add your light to mine, baby.
Together we could shine.

Baby you’re so fine,
Together we could shine.
Add your light to mine.


---Vocabulary---
beneath : -の真下に
fullest : 最大限の
full moon : 満月
yearn : 切望する
rubbish : ごみ
surround : 包囲する
make cry : 泣かせる、（壊す）
stone wall : 石垣
leat out : 飛び出る、目に付く
mine : 鉱山（cf）

Number

---Large Numbers---

"Look at the numbers below and practice saying each."

65,900 : sixty-five thousand, nine hundred
734,500 : seven hundred thirty-four thousand, five hundred
9,811,000 : nine million, eight hundred eleven thousand
84,302,200 : eighty-four million, three hundred two thousand, two hundred
122,344,000 : one hundred twenty-two million, three hundred fouty-four thousand
6,257,000,000 : six billion, two hundred fifty-seven million

30,400 : thirty thousand, four hundred
58,807 : fifty-eight thousand, eight hundred seven
380,600 : three hundred eighty thousand, six hundred
867,960 : eight hundred sixty-seven thousand, nine hundred sixty
9,530,000 : nine million, five hundred thirty thousand
61,280,000 : sixty-one million, two hundred eighty thousand
112,450,000 : one hundred twelve million, four hundred fifty thousand
2,734,000,000 : two billion, seven hundred thirty-four million



---Conversation Vocabulary---

Neither have I : Me neither
recommend : suggest
definitely : 明らかに