Show 88 Thursday 29 June

Watch today's show at YouTube or grouper
or watch me tv.


STICK NEWS

Kia Ora. This is Stick News. The Japanese government announced today that it aims to halve the number of stray dogs and cats in the next ten years.

Many people in Japan love cats and dogs. They buy them as pets. Last year there were 12 million cats in Japan and 13 million dogs.
But sometimes, the love doesn’t last. And the owner wants to get rid of their pet. So they abandon them.
In fiscal 2004 the number of abandoned dogs and cats was 420,000. About 90 percent of these animals were killed after their capture.
The government wants to reduce this number through measures such as encouraging pet adoption and requiring pet shops to fully explain to the customers the responsibility of a pet owner.

And that was Stick News for Thursday the 29th of June.
Kia Ora.

conversations with sarah
# 58 Would you like it gift-wrapped?
This conversation is from the movie Love Actually.

Harry is shopping for a necklace for his lover. He wants the assistant to hurry and finish before his wife gets back, but the assistant is taking a long time.
Step 1: Repeat Harry’s lines.
Step 2: Read Harry’s lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Rufus Looking for anything in particular, sir?

Harry Yes ... Ahm. That necklace there ... how much is it?

Rufus It’s 270 pounds.

Harry Alright. I’ll have it.

Rufus Lovely. Would you like it gift-wrapped?

Harry Yes, alright.

Rufus Lovely. Just pop it in the box ... there.

Harry Look, could we be quite quick.

Rufus Certainly, sir. Ready in the flashiest of flashes. There.

Harry That’s great.

Rufus Not quite finished.

Harry Look, actually, I don’t need a bag – I can just put it in my pocket.

Rufus This isn’t a bag, sir.

Harry Really?

Rufus This is so much more than a bag.

Harry Could we be quick ... please.

Rufus Prontissimo.

On today's show you will hear a noise in the background which sounds kind of like a large truck. This is my air conditioner (made before the extinction of dinosaurs). Sorry. I'll turn it off next time.

Links:

Today's news.

Love Actually.

The music on today's show is by David Schombert from France.
The track is from the album Quiet Life Vol.2
You can listen to the album and download it for free here.
This is David Schombert's blog.

Show 87 Wednesday 28 June

Watch today's show at YouTube or grouper
or watch me tv.


STICK NEWS

Kia Ora. In Stick News today, three suspected spammers have been arrested in Europe.

These three men are suspected of committing the hideous crime of conspiring to spread computer viruses through spamming.
The three suspects are a 63-year-old man in England, a 28-year-old man in Scotland and a 19-year-old man in Finland.
Police said the men appear to be connected via an online company.
They said the suspects “created and adapted viruses with the aim of causing massive infection by spamming”.

And that was Stick News for Wednesday 28th June.
Kia Ora.

conversations with sarah
# 57 What did you have for lunch today?

Maki asks Sarah what she had for lunch.
Step 1: Repeat Maki’s lines.
Step 2: Read Maki’s lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Sarah What did you have for lunch today?

Maki 　I had onigiri. How about you?

Sarah Pasta and salad.

Maki 　What kind of pasta?

Sarah I made a new kind of sauce today. Parsley sauce.

Maki 　Parsley sauce? I’ve never heard of that.

Sarah Mmm, neither have I. I made pesto the other day, and I thought I’d try and make it with parsley instead of basil.

Maki 　How did it turn out?

Sarah Pretty good. I think I’ll make it again.

Notes:

The music on today's show is by Ben Othman from Germany.
The track is from the album Lounge Cafè Tunis "Sahria".
You can listen to the album and download it for free here.
This is Ben Othman's blog.

Show 86 Tuesday 27 June

Watch today's show at YouTube or grouper
or watch me tv.


STICK NEWS

Kia Ora. In Stick News today, Japanese electronics company Sanyo is struggling. The president met with shareholders last week to apologise.

Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. was founded in 1947. At first it made bicycle lamps. In the 50s, it also made radios and washing machines.
Recently, the company has been struggling. Last week the president apologized that the company had fallen deeper into the red in fiscal 2005.
“We are very sorry for the concern and trouble we have caused to all our shareholders”, he said.

And that was Stick News for Tuesday 27th June.
Kia Ora.

conversations with sarah
# 56 How big was it?

Sarah tells her friend Tom she saw a snake today.
Step 1: Repeat Tom’s lines.
Step 2: Read Tom’s lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Sarah Guess what?

Tom 　What?

Sarah I saw a snake today!

Tom 　Really?! Where?

Sarah By the river. I was biking back from a lesson along the river and it was crawling across the path.

Tom 　Wow. How big was it?

Sarah It was quite big. It was really long and it was about this big.

Tom 　Wow. Scary.

Links:

Read today's news here.
About Sanyo.

The music on today's show is by David Schombert from France.
The track is from the album Quiet Life Vol.2
You can listen to the album and download it for free here.
This is David Schombert's blog.

Show 85 Monday 26 June

Watch today's show at YouTube or grouper.


STICK NEWS

Kia Ora. In Stick News today, the world’s second-richest man has decided to give away some of his money.

Forbes is an American business magazine. They say Microsoft chairperson Bill Gates is the richest person in the world.
Warren Buffett is ranked number 2.
Buffett made lots of money from investments.
Now he is giving 85 percent of his money away. Most of it to the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation.

The rest of Buffett’s money will be given to 4 other foundations. So far there is no indication that any of the money will be given to The Daily English Show.
And that was Stick News for Monday the 26th of June.
Kia Ora.

conversations with sarah
# 55 There isn’t?
From the movie The Sound of Music

The Captain tells Maria he has called off his engagement.
Step 1: Repeat the Captain’s lines.
Step 2: Read the Captain’s lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Captain Maria, there isn’t going to be any Baroness.

Maria 　There isn’t?

Captain No.

Maria 　I don’t understand.

Captain Well, we’ve, umm ... called off our engagement, you see, and, um ...

Maria 　Oh, I am sorry.

Captain Yes. You are?

Maria 　Mm-hmm. You did?

Captain Yes. Well, you can’t marry someone when you’re ... in love with someone else, can you?
The music on today's show is by Philharmonia Baroque from San Francisco, United States.
This music was used with permission from magnatune.com

Show 84 Sunday 25 June

Watch today's show at YouTube or grouper
or watch me tv.


sunday kitchen
#11 Hummus

The other day I made some hummus.
I soaked some chickpeas overnight.
Then I cooked them for about an hour.
Then I put them in a blender with olive oil, tahini, lemon juice and pepper and salt.

There are hundreds of different ways to make hummus.
Have a look on the internet if you need a recipe.
If you’re in a hurry you can also use canned chickpeas.
I made another version with half of the mixture.
I cooked some eggplant in olive oil and chilli and put that in.
I ate the hummus with celery sticks.
It was delicious.

Music by Drop Trio.
From the album Big Dipper.
Used with permission from magnatune.com

Show 83 Saturday 24 June

Watch today's show at YouTube or grouper.


Sarah’s Dairy
#6 Golden Week part 2

During Golden Week my friends from Aichi came to Tokyo.

First, we played at home.

Then, we went to Meiji Shrine.

Then, we went to Tocho.

Tocho is the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.

It’s in Shinjuku and is the tallest building in Tokyo.

At the top we saw some cute toys.

We had a great view of Tokyo.

And saw a beautiful sunset.

Then, we went home.

To be continued…

The music on today's show is by David Schombert from France.
The track is from the album Quiet Life Vol.2
You can listen to the album and download it for free here.
This is David Schombert's blog.

Show 82 Friday 23 June

Watch today's show at YouTube or grouper.


STICK NEWS

Kia Ora. In Stick News Japan has exited the World Cup after they lost to Brazil today.

This morning Japan still had a chance of making the second round of the World Cup. All they needed to do was beat Brazil by at least 2 points. And hope Australia lost.
Despite Tamada’s nice goal in the 34th minute, Brazil ended up destroying Japan’s hopes by getting 4 goals past legendary Japanese goalkeeper Kawaguchi.
After the game Nakata lay on the field with a towel over his face and cried.
Japan’s coach Zico said he gave coaching the team his “best shot”.

And that was Stick News for Friday the 23rd of June.
Kia Ora.

conversations with sarah
# 54 Did you get up to watch it?

Sarah and Naoko talk about the Japan-Brazil game in the 2006 World Cup.
Step 1: Repeat Naoko’s lines.
Step 2: Read Naoko’s lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Sarah Did you watch the game this morning?

Naoko I only saw the highlights on the news. Did you get up to watch it?

Sarah Yeah, I did. It’s the first time I’ve ever got up early in the morning to watch a game, actually.

Naoko You must be tired.

Sarah Yeah, kind of. But I went back to sleep after the game, so not really.

Naoko It’s a pity they lost. But Tamada did well to score that goal.

Sarah Yeah, Yeah. And Kawaguchi did some great saves. He’s a legend.

Link:

Read today's news here.

The music on today's show is by Philharmonia Baroque from San Francisco, United States.
This music was used with permission from magnatune.com

Show 81 Thursday 22 June

Watch the show at YouTube or grouper.

World Cup special! Today I asked people in the street who they thought would win the Japan-Brazil game.

Show 80 Wednesday 21 June

Watch today's show at YouTube or grouper.


STICK NEWS

Kia Ora. In Stick News today American Actor Bruce Willis has sued a photographer for $1 million dollars for defamation.

Bruce Willis was walking into a Japanese restaurant in Hollywood when he came into contact with a photographer.
The photographer claimed that Bruce Willis hit him. He said he suffered a chipped tooth and a nose injury.
But Bruce Willis said he just held his hands in front of his face to avoid being blinded by the camera flashes.
Willis is now suing the photographer for defamation. The lawsuit claims he suffered at least $1 million in damage to his “reputation and standing in the community, as well as shame, mortification, hurt feelings, embarrassment, humiliation and damage to the value of his name, likeness and goodwill”.

And that was Stick News for Wednesday the 21st of June.
Kia Ora.

conversations with sarah
# 53 Have you seen any good movies recently?

Takuo asks Sarah if she has seen any good movies recently.
Step 1: Repeat Takuo’s lines.
Step 2: Read Takuo’s lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Takuo Have you seen any good movies recently?

Sarah Yeah, I saw Walk the Line last week. Have you heard of that movie?

Takuo No. What’s it about?

Sarah It’s about Johnny Cash. Do you know who Johnny Cash is?

Takuo I’ve heard the name, but I don’t know any of his songs.

Sarah Yeah, me too. I didn’t know anything about him before I saw the movie.

Takuo Is it on at the movies now?

Sarah No. It came out last year. I saw it on DVD.

Notes:

Walk the line at IMDB.

Music by Kenji Williams.
You can listen to it or buy it here.
Used with permission from magnatune.com

Show 79 Tuesday 20 June

Watch today's show at YouTube or grouper.


STICK NEWS

Kia Ora. In Stick News today an armless man who was caught driving at 121 kilometers an hour says he wasn’t driving dangerously.

The 31-year-old New Zealand man was born with no arms. On the 23rd of March he was caught exceeding the 100km/h speed limit on State Highway 2, near Papamoa.
He was allegedly using one foot to steer and the other to operate the accelerator and brake pedals.
Police gave him a $170 dollar speeding ticket. He told police he had never held a driver’s licence, but had been driving with the use of his feet for years without any problems.
Several weeks later, police laid another charge: driving in a manner which might have been dangerous to the public.

The man says he wasn’t driving dangerously, and he will defend the charge in court next month. His lawyer said “this highly unusual driving system was, in fact, safe”.
That was Stick News for Tuesday the 20th of June.
Kia Ora.

conversations with sarah
# 52 Did you feel the earthquake?

Sarah asks Mihoko if she watched the game last night.
Step 1: Repeat Mikoko’s lines.
Step 2: Read Mikoko’s lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Sarah 　Did you feel the earthquake this morning?

Mihoko No. I was still asleep, did you?

Sarah 　Yeah. I was using the computer, doing some lesson preparation ...

Mihoko What time did it happen?

Sarah 　Just before 7, I think.

Mihoko What time do you usually get up?

Sarah 　Um, it’s different every day, but this morning I had to leave home at 7:30, so I got up at 6:30.

Mihoko Was it a big earthquake?

Sarah 　Not really. It was pretty much over before I could decide if I was shaking or the room was shaking.

Show 78 Monday 19 June

Watch today's show at YouTube or grouper.


STICK NEWS

Kia Ora. In Stick News today DUST played for the first time at Red Zone last night.
Stick News was there and scored an exclusive interview with the lead singer Makoto.

DUST is a Japanese rock band. They formed three years ago, have released 5 CDs and regularly perform live in Tokyo.
Last night they played at Red Zone in Otsuka.
Their fans were impressed with the show. They said the sound quality was excellent.
Lead singer Makoto talked to Stick News after the show. He said he always enjoys live performances and his dream was to perform live in London.

The date of DUST’s next live performance hasn’t been announced. Stick News will keep you updated.
And that was Stick News for Monday the 19th of June.
Kia Ora.

conversations with sarah
# 51 Did you watch the game?

Yasuko asks Sarah if she watched the game last night.
Step 1: Repeat Yasuko’s lines.
Step 2: Read Yasuko’s lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Yasuko Did you watch the game last night?

Sarah 　Yeah. It was a shame they didn’t win.

Yasuko Yeah. Did you watch it at home?

Sarah 　No, in Otsuka actually.

Yasuko At a sports bar?

Sarah 　No. We were going to watch it at a sports bar, but we went to see a band before the game, and they showed it on a screen after the bands, so we ended up just staying there.

Yasuko Was it packed?

Sarah 　No, not really, most of the people who watched the bands didn’t seem that interested in sports, so they didn’t stay for the game.

Link:

Watch DUST's live performance here.

This is DUST's site.

Show 77 Sunday 18 June

Watch today's show at YouTube or grouper.


sunday kitchen
#10 Pesto

To make pesto, you need:

basil
pine nuts
garlic
olive oil
salt and pepper

Put basil in the food processor. Mix.
Add garlic, pinenuts and salt and pepper. Mix.
Add olive oil. Mix.

I like eating pesto on bread, as a salad dressing, and as a pasta sauce.

Notes:

According to Wikipedia, Pesto usually contains cheese. I don’t eat cheese, so I don’t put cheese in it. So perhaps this is technically not pesto, and I should call it basil sauce.

The music on today's show is by David Schombert from France.
The track is from the album Quiet Life Vol.2
You can listen to the album and download it for free here.
This is David Schombert's blog.

Show 76 Saturday 17 June

Watch today's show at YouTube or grouper.


Sarah’s Dairy
#5 Golden Week part 1

During Golden Week my friends from Aichi came to Tokyo.

First we played at home.

We played with a big bottle and empty cans in the kitchen.

Then we played with dirt and a broom on the balcony.

Then we ran around the house.

Then we went to Meiji Shrine.

We read the sign.

We saw some Sake barrels.

We saw a performance.

We washed our hands.

And walked further inside the shrine.

We saw some things written on pieces of wood.

We threw some money in the box and prayed.

We saw some ikebana.

And some nice trees.

To be continued…

Show 75 Friday 16 June

Watch today's show at YouTube or grouper.


STICK NEWS

Kia Ora. In Stick News today, Japan will play their second game in the World Cup on Sunday night. The poor team destined to a crushing defeat is Croatia.

Japan’s first game in the 2006 World Cup, didn’t go as planned.
After a shock loss to Australia, the outpouring of grief in Japan caused water levels in lakes and rivers across the country to rise by up to 5cms.
But the flood protection squad isn’t concerned about Sunday’s result.
Experts are predicting that Japan will win by at least 4 goals.

And that was Stick News for Friday the 16th of June.
Kia Ora.

conversations with sarah
# 50 Where is Croatia?
Asking about a country.

Sarah looks at information on the net about Croatia.
Step 1: Repeat Junko's lines.
Step 2: Read Junko's lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Junko Who's Japan playing next?

Sarah Croatia.

Junko Oh, that's right. Where is Croatia?

Sarah In Europe, I think. Just a minute, I'll check. Yeah, it's in Europe.

Junko I don't really know anything about Croatia.

Sarah Yeah. Neither do I. Oh, it used to be part of Yugoslavia.

Junko When did it become independent?

Sarah 1991.

Junko Tell me something else about Croatia.

Sarah OK. Um, there was a war from 1991 to 1995. Two Nobel prize winners came from Croatia, some of the first fountain pen came from Croatia, and ties come from Croatia.

Link:

Croatia.

Show 74 Thursday 15 June

Watch today's show on YouTube or grouper.


STICK NEWS

Kia Ora. This is Stick News.
Tomorrow the Japanese government is set to enact a revised law that will give them more power in the fight against plastic bags.

There are 722 people in the Diet in Japan.
Like politicians in most countries, they spend their time rambling and passing silly laws. But it’s not all talking bollocks ... sometimes they pass excellent laws.
In Japan, a ridiculous amount of plastic is used. To fight against this wastefulness, the government is revising a law called The Containers and Packaging Recycling Law.
Under the revised law, the government will have more powers to harass supermarkets about reducing the use of plastic shopping bags.

And that was Stick News for Thursday the 15th of June.

conversations with sarah

# 49 How long did you go for?
Asking about someone’s trip.

Sarah asks Hiroko about her trip to Paris.
Step 1: Repeat Hiroko’s lines.
Step 2: Read Hiroko’s lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Sarah 　How was your trip to Paris?

Hiroko It was great!

Sarah 　How long did you go for?

Hiroko 7 days.

Sarah 　And what did you do?

Hiroko We went to Monet’s house. And we went to the Louvre, but we couldn’t go to the Musee D’Orsay.

Sarah 　Really? Why not?

Hiroko Well, my friend was in the queue before it opened and suddenly they announced that it wouldn’t open that day.

Sarah 　Really? Why?

Hiroko I don’t know.

Notes:

Read today's news here.

The music on today's show is by Philharmonia Baroque from San Francisco, United States.
This music was used with permission from magnatune.com

Show 73 Wednesday 14 June

Watch today's show at grouper or YouTube.


STICK NEWS

Kia Ora. This is Stick News.
A man robbed a post office in Tokyo last month. But then he felt guilty. So he returned the money with interest, then turned himself in.

The 33-year-old man said he really needed some money, so he robbed a post office.
He stole 340,000 yen.
Then, after the robbery, he was in a traffic accident and got money for compensation.
Then he regretted robbing the post office. So he went back, wearing a mask, and returned the money – with an extra 10,000 yen.
But he still felt guilty, so he turned himself in at a police station.

And that was Stick News for Wednesday the 14th of June. Kia Ora.

conversations with sarah

# 48 How would you do it?
Conditional tense practice

Jane asks Sarah a random question about robbing a bank.
Step 1: Repeat Jane's lines.
Step 2: Read Jane's lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Jane 　Hey Sarah...

Sarah Yeah?

Jane 　If you were going to rob a bank, how would you do it?

Sarah If I was going to what?

Jane 　Rob a bank.

Sarah If I was going to rob a bank?

Jane 　Yeah. How would you do it?

Sarah Ummm. Well, I wouldn’t rob a bank.

Jane 　Yeah, I know. But hypothetically speaking...

Sarah OK. Hypothetically speaking...umm...if I was going to rob a bank, what would I do? Mmm Well I don’t like guns, so I don’t want to use a gun. Maybe I could just ask for it nicely: “can you please give me some money?” But then I guess that wouldn’t be robbing would it. I know, I’ll wear my dogi and go in there and make some strange sounds.

Notes:

Read today's news here.

What does emo mean?

Music by Kenji Williams.
You can listen to it or buy it here.
Used with permission from magnatune.com

Show 72 Tuesday 13 June

Watch today's show at YouTube or grouper.


STICK NEWS

Kia Ora. This is Stick News.
Japan played their first game in the World Cup. The result was terrible.

The game kicked off at 10pm Japan time, and until the 84th minute, the results were looking pretty good.
Then, disaster struck, and the opposition scored 3 goals in the last 10 minutes of the game.

And that was Stick News for Tuesday the 13th of June.

conversations with sarah
# 47 Are you still sad about the game?

Sarah is feeling pretty sad about the result of yesterday's game.
Step 1: Repeat Michelle's lines.
Step 2: Read Michelle's lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Michelle Do you want something to eat?

Sarah 　No.

Michelle Aren’t you hungry?

Sarah 　I’m too sad to eat.

Michelle Are you still sad about the game?

Sarah 　Mmm.

Michelle It was a shame they lost.

Sarah 　Mmm.

Michelle But Australia played quite well didn’t they?

Sarah 　What?!

Michelle Sorry, sorry, sorry. Calm down.

Show 71 Monday 12 June

Watch today's show at YouTube or grouper.


STICK NEWS

Kia Ora. In Stick News today, people all over the world are rejoicing because The Daily English Show is back.
The show wasn’t uploaded for three days because of a problem with the modem. Japan’s Prime Minister is calling for an inquiry into the debacle. He’s demanding to know why the problem wasn’t fixed faster.

The Daily English Show is an internet show for people who are studying English. Since its launch in April, people have watched daily on their computers and video ipods.
Because of technical problems, sometimes the upload of the show is delayed.
Many fans suffer from withdrawal symptoms if they can’t see the show every day. The condition has even been given a name: DESDS.
The WIHO lists the symptoms as uncontrollable shaking, unexplained tears and, in the most extreme cases, sitting in the corner rocking backwards and forwards repeating catch phrases from the show.

This morning The Daily English Show’s ISP replaced the modem and shows from the last three days have now been uploaded.
According to The Daily English Show technicians the show is now able to be uploaded fifteen times faster than before.
And that was Stick News for Monday the 12th of June.
Kia Ora.

conversations with sarah
# 46 What time does it start?

Sarah is talking to her friend Ken about tonight's game.
Step 1: Repeat Ken's lines.
Step 2: Read Ken's lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Sarah It's Japan's first game tonight aye?

Ken 　Oh yeah, that's right. Who are they playing?

Sarah Australia.

Ken 　What time does it start?

Sarah It starts at 10.

Ken 　Japan time?

Sarah Yeah.

Ken 　What’s the time difference between Japan and Germany?

Sarah Germany’s 7 hours behind Japan.

Ken　 So, who do you think's going to win tonight?

Sarah Japan.

Ken 　And what’s the score going to be?

Sarah 2 nil.

Notes:

Music by Kenji Williams.
You can listen to it or buy it here.
Used with permission from magnatune.com

Show 70 Sunday 11 June

Watch today's show at grouper or YouTube.


sunday kitchen
#9 World Cup Wine

To drink wine, you need:

a wine glass
a bottle opener
and some wine.

I bought this wine four years ago during the 2002 World Cup.
I decided to keep it for 4 years and drink it during the next World Cup.
The 2006 World Cup started on Friday, so finally it was time to open it.
The label was a bit rotten,
but there was no problem with the wine inside.

First, I opened the bottle.
Then, I smelt the wine.
Then, I poured it.
Then, I drank it.

It was delicious.

Notes:

The music on today's show is by Philharmonia Baroque from San Francisco, United States.
This music was used with permission from magnatune.com

Show 69 Saturday 10 June

Watch today's show at grouper or YouTube.


Thank you to all the people who helped make the Perci video!

Music by Drop Trio.
From the album Big Dipper.
Used with permission from magnatune.com

Show 68 Friday 9 June

Watch today's show at grouper or YouTube.

STICK NEWS

Kia Ora. In Stick News today, the United Nations general assembly elected a new president yesterday.
The new president is a woman from Bahrain.

The United Nations is an international organization which was established in 1945.
It describes itself as a "global association of governments facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, and social equity."
There are 191 members of the United Nations. They are called “member states”.
The head honcho of the UN is called the “Secretary-General”. Since 1997 this has been Kofi Annan, from Ghana.
There are five parts to the UN. These are called “organs”. One of the organs is “The General Assembly.
Yesterday, the general assembly elected their new president.
She is from Bahrain. Bahrain is a small island nation in the Persian Gulf.
Her old job was the Bahraini ambassador to France.
She was also one of the first women to practice law in Bahrain when she started in 1979.

The new president will start her job on the 12th of September. She’ll be president for one year.
And that was Stick News for Friday the 9th of June.
Kia Ora.

conversations with sarah

# 45 You heard me wrong.
This conversation is from the movie speed. (Chapter 8)

Annie gets on the bus and an annoying guy starts talking to her.
Step 1: Repeat Annie’s lines.
Step 2: Read Annie’s lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Stephens First time in LA.

Annie 　　Oh, no, I live here.

Stephens No, I mean mine. Oh, that’s just funny. You heard me wrong. No, I’m sightseeing.

Annie 　　Oh, really.

Stephens Yeah. I hate to use the word ‘tourist’ but it’s not like I can hide it.

Annie 　　Not really.

Stephens Ahh geez, you know, it took me 3 hours just to get here from the airport. I got so lost. LA is one large place. Course, you live here, you probably don’t notice. I’m such a yokel.

Annie 　　Oh, geez.

Stephens There, I said it. Ha ha ha.

Annie 　　You know what, I got gum on my seat. Gum!



Notes:

Read today's news here.
About the new president.
About Bahrain.

Music today is by Drop Trio.

From the album Big Dipper.

It is used with permission from magnatune.com

Show 67 Thursday 8 June

Watch today's show at YouTube or grouper.


STICK NEWS

Kia Ora. This is Stick News. In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the start of winter. In New Zealand, frosts are hitting earlier and harder than usual. And kiwifruit growers are racing against time to pick the fruit before it’s damaged.

This fruit originally comes from China. It has many Chinese names and in English it was originally called a Chinese gooseberry. Thanks to a marketing campaign in 1959 by a New Zealand exporter – the fruit is now called a kiwifruit.
It’s named after this bird, the kiwi.
New Zealand is now the second largest producer of kiwifruit in the world. Second only to Italy.
It is now the start of winter in New Zealand and kiwifruit growers are picking as fast as they can before the frosts damage the fruit.
Orchardists are also using helicopters, fans and sprinklers to protect the fruit.

The kiwifruit picking season is scheduled to end in mid to late June.
A manager from one of the kiwifruit giants said the frosts were a worry – but they didn’t want to panic. He said the situation wouldn’t affect the timing of shipping kiwifruit for export.
And that was Stick News for Thursday 8th of June.
Kia Ora.

conversations with sarah
# 44 Why is it called Murphy’s Law?

Sarah and Yuko have planned to meet at a café. Yuko is late.
Step 1: Repeat Yuko’s lines.
Step 2: Read Yuko’s lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Yuko 　I’m so sorry I’m late!

Sarah That’ s OK.

Yuko 　I tried to call you but ...

Sarah Oh, sorry. I was going to call you too – but I forgot to bring my phone!

Yuko 　Oh, OK.

Sarah Sorry! Ahh, Murphy’s Law!

Yuko 　Murphy’s Law? What’s that?

Sarah Um, it’s kind of hard to explain ... But in this case, like, I almost always bring my phone - and I hardly ever need to use it. But today, the one day I forget to bring my phone is the day that you need to call me.

Yuko 　Oh, OK. Why is it called Murphy’s Law?

Sarah Um, I don’t know actually. Good question. It’s also called Sod’s law.

Notes:

Some examples of Murphy's Law are:

The day you forget your umbrella, it pours with rain.
Transport will always be late, unless you are late yourself, in which case it will be on time.

Read more about Murphy's Law.

Read today's news here.
About kiwifruit.

Music today is by Drop Trio.
It is used with permission from magnatune.com
From the album Big Dipper.

Show 66 Wednesday 7 June

Watch today's show at YouTube or grouper.


STICK NEWS

Kia Ora. In Stick News today following months of speculation, the relationship is now official. Yahoo and eBay have announced their partnership.

Big internet companies are called internet giants. Four of the giants are google, yahoo, eBay and MSN.
They all want to be the most powerful so they always fight each other. This is called competition. The battles have intensified recently. And now two of the internet giants have announced they will fight together.
This is called a strategic partnership.
Some people are saying that the companies may eventually merge.

And that was Stick News for Wednesday the 7th of June.
Kia Ora.

conversations with sarah
# 43 Who’s coming for me?

The first time Morpheus talks to Neo in the Matrix. Morpheus rings Neo at work and tells him to get out of the building.
Step 1: Repeat Neo’s lines.
Step 2: Read Neo’s lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Morpheus They're coming for you, Neo, and I don't know what they're going to do.

Neo 　　　　Who's coming for me?

Morpheus Stand up and see for yourself.

Neo 　　　　What, right now?

Morpheus Yes, now. Do it slowly. The elevator...

Neo 　　　　Oh, shit!

Morpheus Yes.

Neo 　　　　What the hell do they want from me?

Morpheus I don't know, but if you don't want to find out, I suggest you get out of there.

Neo 　　　　How?

Morpheus I can guide you, but you must do exactly as I say.

Neo 　　　　Okay...

Morpheus The cubicle across from you is empty.

Neo 　　　　What if they...

Morpheus Go, now.

Link:

Read today's news here.

Music by Kenji Williams.It was the second track from the album EPIC.
You can listen to it or buy it here.
Used with permission from magnatune.com

Show 65 Tuesday 6 June

Watch today's show at grouper or or BlipTV.

Introduction

It’s Tuesday the 6th of June and the weather is getting warmer in Japan.
So it’s time to take of your jacket and tie. Cool.
Today’s news is about cool biz in Japan.

STICK NEWS

Kia Ora. In Stick News today the cool biz campaign kicked off at the start of June. For the second year in a row, Japan’s prime minister is urging office workers all over the country to take off their ties and jackets.

All over the world there is concern about the environmental state of the planet. Climate change is one major concern. The world is getting hotter and most scientists think it’s because of greenhouse gas emissions.
Now many countries are trying to reduce these emissions.
One of Japan’s contributions is cool biz.
The cool biz campaign started in 2005.
The idea is to save energy by limiting air-conditioning.
Government ministries set their air conditioners to 28 degrees and workers are encouraged to wear short sleeved shirts with no Jackets or ties.

According to the Ministry of the Environment, thanks to cool biz, last year C02 emissions were reduced by approximately 460 thousand tons. Cool.
And that was Stick News for Tuesday the 6th of June.
Kia Ora.

conversations with sarah
# 42 What does that stand for?

Jen asks Sarah about Japanese politics.
Step 1: Repeat Jen’s lines.
Step 2: Read Jen’s lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Jen 　Who’s the prime minister of Japan?

Sarah Koizumi.

Jen 　What party is he in?

Sarah Jiminto. It’s called LDP in English.

Jen 　LDP. What does that stand for?

Sarah Liberal Democratic Party.

Jen 　Is Koizumi popular?

Sarah Um ... well he was when he first became prime minister, but I think his popularity has gone down since then.

Jen 　What has he done since he’s been prime minister?

Sarah Um. I’m not exactly sure ... but he has talked about economic reforms a lot. And privatizing the post office.

Jen 　Has it been privatized yet?

Sarah No, not yet. But I think it’s going to happen this year.

Notes:

Read about cool biz, greenhouses gases, and Koizumi in Wikipedia.

Music by Kenji Williams.
It was the first track from the album EPIC.
You can listen to it or buy it here.
Used with permission from magnatune.com

Show 64 Monday 5 June

Watch today's show at grouper or YouTube.


Introduction

Hi, I’m Sarah. Welcome to The Daily English Show.
It’s Monday the 4th (oops! Mistake) of June and this is show number 64.
I was attempting to clean out my wardrobe and I came across this old, rather battered mask.
This is an oni mask. Oni means devil.
And it’s used for setsubun which is on the 3rd of February.
Setsubun is one of my favorite Japanese festivals. I love the simplicity. What could be more fun than chucking beans at somebody and yelling “devil get out!”
You should definitely try it at home.

STICK NEWS

Kia Ora. This is Stick News.
It is four days before the start of the football World Cup in Germany and this morning the 2002 winners Brazil, played New Zealand.

In New Zealand, when people say: “Did you watch the game? “, there is a 99% chance they are talking about a rugby game.
The country is rugby mad.
However, apparently, some people also play soccer.
There is even a national team, called the All Whites.
The All Whites went to the World Cup once, in 1982. They lost every game.
Most people have no idea who is in the team. Even if a team member started whacking people with handbags, it is unlikely it would make the front page.
The news that they were playing Brazil did make the papers though. The team was pretty excited about playing the superstars of soccer.

Unsurprisingly, New Zealand lost. The score was 4-0.
And that was Stick News for Monday the 5th of June.
Kia Ora.

conversations with sarah
# 41 When does the World Cup start?

Bob and Sarah are talking about the World Cup.
Step 1: Repeat Bob’s lines.
Step 2: Read Bob’s lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Bob 　When does the World Cup start?

Sarah On Friday, I think.

Bob 　Who's playing the first game?

Sarah I don’t know. Just a minute. Yeah, it starts on Friday. And the first game is Germany vs Costa Rica.

Bob 　How long does it last?

Sarah Ah, the final is on the 9th of July – so, one month.

Bob 　What group is Japan in?

Sarah Japan’s in group F.

Bob 　Who else is in that group?

Sarah Brazil, Croatia and Australia.

Bob 　Who are they playing first?

Sarah Australia.

Links:

World Cup information.

The All Whites.

Today's news.

Show 63 Sunday 4 June

Watch today's show at grouper or YouTube or watch me tv.


sunday kitchen
#8 Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients: garlic, onion, olive oil, salt, pepper, chilli, vegetable stock, water
Tools: a knife, a chopping board, a pot, a stove, a wooden spoon, bowls.

Cut the garlic.
Cut the onion.
Put olive oil in the pot.
Add the onions,
and garlic.
Turn on the gas.
Stir.
Add salt,
pepper
and chilli.
Stir.
Cut the skin off the pumpkin.
Cut the pumpkin.
Put the pumpkin in the pot.
Add water.
Stir.
Add vegetable stock.
Stir.
Cook.
When it’s ready, turn off the gas.
Put it into a blender.
Blend.

The music is by Thursday Group, from the United States.
It is track 1 from First Album.
It is available at magnatune.com
You can listen to it or buy it here.

Show 62 Saturday 3 June

Watch today's show at grouper or YouTube.


Perci the Persimmon is a book I made in 2003. The idea was to combine education and art. To learn basic conversation questions and answers by reading a book with interesting photos. The layout of the book is designed so that the question and photo are on one page, then the answer is on the next page.
The idea is to look at the picture and guess what the answer is. Then turn the page and check the answer.

I think asking someone questions about what they have done and answering questions about what you have done, are both very useful tools for making conversation.

Talking about ideas and concepts is interesting - but it's also more difficult. So I think practicing talking about past events is a great place to start.

I printed the book myself and took it to a design show in Tokyo and sold a few copies. I also used it in lessons. But it has never actually been published properly.

The music is by Thursday Group, from the United States.
It is track 1 from First Album.
It is available at magnatune.com
You can listen to it or buy it here.

Show 61 Friday 2 June

Watch today's show at grouper or YouTube.


STICK NEWS

Kia Ora. This is Stick News.
New Zealand is a small country in the South Pacific. It is nuclear-free and not even George Bush would claim there are weapons of mass destruction.
However that doesn’t mean there are no weapons. And in one of the biggest stories in New Zealand this week, a man was hit in the head with a handbag.

There was an important rugby game in New Zealand last week, the Super 14 final. Afterwards, everyone had a few drinks.
Many people drank all night and between 6:30am and 8am there was an incident involving two rugby players.
For some reason one player punched a fellow customer in the bar.
The other player wasn’t happy about this – so he picked up a woman’s handbag and started wacking his teammate with it.
The player started crying. The woman’s phone was broken.
The rugby police decided to fine player the player who started the scrap $3000. The handbag hitter wasn’t punished, because he was “defusing the situation”.
The woman received an apology and a new cellphone. She is now selling her handbag and broken cellphone on the internet.

The online auction for the handbag finishes tomorrow. Today the bids have already passed $5000. And that was Stick News for Friday the 2nd of June.
Kia Ora.

conversations with sarah
# 40 Why do you like him so much?

Larry King interviews Elizabeth Taylor.
Step 1: Repeat Larry’s lines.
Step 2: Read Larry’s lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Larry 　　Why do you like him so much?

Elizabeth We’re very much alike.

Larry 　　Are you?

Elizabeth Yes.

Larry 　　We both had horrible childhoods. Ah, well, working at the age of 9 is not a childhood. He started at 3, and ah, that certainly isn’t a childhood.

Elizabeth Have you spoken to him recently?

Larry 　　Yes, I have.

Elizabeth How’s he doing? He’s in ... where ...

Larry 　　He sounds very happy.

Elizabeth Where is he?

Larry 　　At the moment I think he’s in London.

Elizabeth But he was in Tokyo recently, and then London.

Larry 　　Yeah.

Elizabeth And, but he lives in Bahrain?

Larry 　　Right.

Notes:

Larry King is an American broadcaster.
He hosts a nightly interview program called Larry King Live.

Elizabeth Taylor is an American actress.

See the Larry King, Elizabeth Taylor interview here.

Music by Thursday Group available at magnatune.com

Show 60 Thursday 1 June

Watch today's show at grouper or YouTube.


STICK NEWS

Kia Ora. In Stick News today, Michael Jackson has visited Japan.

Michael Jackson is an American pop singer. He started singing with his brothers when he was a little boy. When he got older, he sang by himself.
This week Michael came to Japan. He played pachinko.
He also went to a party. 100 people came to the party including the Kano sisters. The Kano sisters are two women who are famous for their large breasts.
Michael told all the guests he loved them. Then went into a private room with the Kano sisters for a chat.

The details of the “chat” between Michael and the Kano sisters are private. However, it has been suggested that they were swapping stories about their plastic surgery.
And that was Stick News for Thursday the 1st of June.
Kia Ora.

conversations with sarah
# 39 What’s he doing?

Sarah and Tom are talking about entertainment news.
Step 1: Repeat Tom’s lines.
Step 2: Read Tom’s lines on the screen and talk to Sarah.

Sarah Did you hear Michael Jackson is in Japan?

Tom 　No. What’s he doing?

Sarah He got an award from MTV. And he played pachinko.

Tom 　What’s pachinko?

Sarah It’s a kind of gambling game ... like slot machines.

Tom 　Is that all he did? Gamble?

Sarah And he went to a party with the Kano sisters. And visited an orphanage.

Tom 　He lives in the middle east now doesn’t he?

Sarah Yeah, Bahrain I think.

Notes:

Who are the Kano sisters?
Read the wikipedia entry or a magazine article.

Read today's news here.

The music on today's show is by Philharmonia Baroque from San Francisco, United States.The track is from the album Beethoven Symphonies No 3 Eroica and No 8.This music was used with permission from magnatune.com