Can anybody catch the misteak?

This was taken from engrish.com.  This site has many weird english words and phrases used in everyday signs, menus, and clothes, etc. 

Now, do you see the mistake in this picture?  

Can you believe this was on the news in America???

Arashiyama

This morning I got up a bit early to go to Arashiyama and see the red leaves I so wanted to see. There was almost no one and the sky was so blue, it was perfect. One hour later though all the tourist buses started to show up and it got much more crowded! Fortunately I was on my way back home already! Here are some pictures I took. Have any of you been there this year? It feels awesome to wake up and see such a beautiful scenery before heading to work!

Take THAT, bad grammar

Can

The word 'can' is used to denote ability.

I can swim.
(I have the ability to swim.)

Can he lift 150 kgs?
(Does he have the ability to lift 150 kgs?)

May

The word 'may' is used to denote permission.

You may swim in this river.
(You are allowed to swim in this river.)

May I have a biscuit?
(Am I permitted to have a biscuit?)

Can for Permission (Informal Setting)

These days, however,
the word 'can' is used for both ability and permission,
particularly in an informal setting.

You can swim in this river.
(You are allowed to swim in this river.)

Can I have a biscuit?
(Am I permitted to have a biscuit?)

Always May for Permission in a Formal Setting

In a formal setting or in polite company,
you should use 'may' to denote permission.

May I leave the table?
(Am I permitted to leave the table?)

Thrak and I

Eye halve a spelling checker

Thanksgiving = Turkey?

Yes, almost 88% of Americans eat turkey for Thanksgiving, which is almost 334 million kilograms of Turkey eaten in one day.  So some of you might be wondering what other food do you eat on Thanksgiving?  Well, here are some commonly eaten foods for Thanksgiving. 

Stuffing -  this is bread/cornbread with onions and celery, and maybe dried cranberries or apples. 

Cranberry Sauce

 Corn on the Cob

Mashed potatoes with gravy

Green bean casserole

Pumpkin Pie

Lunch time!

Every day, a friend of mine makes 

lunch for her son to take to school, 

some of them are really awesome.

Ubiquitous

ubiq·ui·tous

adjective

Definition of UBIQUITOUS

: existing or being everywhere at the same time  

: constantly encountered  

: widespread a ubiquitous fashion

— ubiq·ui·tous·ly adverb

— ubiq·ui·tous·ness noun

Examples of UBIQUITOUS

1. The company's advertisements are ubiquitous.
2. "by that time cell phones had become ubiquitous, and people had long ceased to be impressed by the sight of one"
3. Hot dogs are the ideal road trip food—inexpensive, portable, ubiquitous. —Paul Lucas, Saveur, June/July 2008

And if you're wondering who the old man at the top is,

that's the ubiquitous Bill Hunter. He was a famous 

Australian actor, and up until last year, when he died,

it was against the law to make a film in Australia

without him in it. 

I before E except most of the time

A spelling rule I was taught in school is 

"I before E except after C"

Research has now proved this rule to be nonsense. 

There are so many words that break the rule, 

its no longer taught in schools.

Remember this next time you run a feisty heist 

on a weird beige foreign neighbor.

Bargaining or Haggling.....

Bargaining or haggling, whatever you want to call it, can be fun, but it can also be stressful at times.  Some people love to bargain and grab items at really low prices.  I, on the other hand, hate having to bargain for items that I want.  I usually don't bother with it and just leave the store if the price is not right.  But for you haggling lovers, here are some tips to help you on your next trip.

Be the Early Bird

Cantonese people call it "fat see" (prosperous market) and Thai people call it "berd bin" (open invoice).  These refer to a superstition that if you don't hurry and make the first sale of the day, you won't be able to sell anything for the whole day.  So if you can be customer #1, vendors will be willing to give the biggest discount. 

Shop Around

You should look around before deciding to buy.  You must do your research or else you will losing out on some great deals.  In Beijing, some vendors will mark up their prices by almost 300%!   But, in Korea, no matter which vendor you go to, prices will not change.  Why?  Because they are all owned by the same boss.  It is an illusion of choice.  So you have to do your research so you don't fall into these traps.

Bulk Up

When shopping in Bangkok, make sure to ask for a wholesale price.  If you plan to buy only one item, you will have to buy it at retail price, but if you plan to buy many items for gifts or for yourself, you should try bargaining for a wholesale price. 

"Skin Tax"

This is what people in India call the extra amount people try to charge for foreigners.  I have had experience with this in Korea.  When I went with my wife, I couldn't understand 100%, but I could understand the Koreans saying that we were Japanese tourists.  So they probably charged us a "Japanese" price.  When I went to visit my friend in Korea, everything was so cheap.  I remember going to a food stand and getting a whole meal for under 300 yen.  Yup, that's local price!  So it will always be helpful to have a local on your side when in another country.

Know When to Walk Away

If the vendor doesn't agree to low enough price, then just walk away.  Even if you really want the item, you cannot let the vendor catch on to that or else you will lose.  Chances are, there is another vendor with the same product so you can try bargaining there.  If you are lucky, when you walk away, the vendor might run after you and say OK to the price.

Time Your Shopping

Now this is the Japanese style of shopping.  Japanese stores tend to have bargain sales in January and July.  And Japanese are very sensitive to seasons, so when the season is almost over, you can expect to find great bargains then. 


I hope this will help you on your next bargain adventure abroad.  Remember you are the customer and don't ever let the vendor have the upper hand on you. 

Gummy lovers: Resurrection

Seeing that crazy gummy snake really makes me sick but I guess lots of people don`t feel that way since the website that sells that very special sweat is already running out of snakes!! So of course you are not supposed to eat it at once since manufacturers explained it would literally kill you and your stomach! It is made to last a year and should be eaten in about 306 servings...hummmm sorry still not convinced!!! I bet you they are some crazy weirdos out there already trying to eat the whole thing as fast as they can!! Grosssss!!

Gaahhh!!! What smartphone should I get???

Some of you may be thinking of getting a smart phone, but there are so many out there that you don't know which one to pick.  Well to help you out, you can start by picking your OS.  OS?  Huh, what's that?  It is your operating system for your smart phone.  It's just like when you buy a computer, you choose a Windows or Mac.  So let's begin with this step first. 

Android

This is for people who love to have control over their phone and customize it to their liking.  Also, if you are on a low budget, you might want to think about Android smart phones.  Most are fairly inexpensive compared to the iPhone.  If you are someone who uses Google services (Gmail, Google Calendar, etc.) a lot, then this phone will be great for you. 


iOS6

This is for people who want a simple interface (display).  If you are not really the technical computer type person, then the iPhone will be good for you.  Mac users and design lovers will love this phone. 


Windows 8

If you are looking for a simple customizable interface (display), then this phone is for you.  I guess you can say that it combines the simplicity of the iPhone and the customizability of the Android.  If you are Windows fan, this phone will be for you.


So there you have it.  I hope this will serve as a guide for anyone looking to buy their first smart phone.  I personally do not have a smart phone yet.  Why?  Well, you can ask me in person at school.  

Orange

The fruit was called orange before the color. 

The color used to be called geoluhread, 

which just meant yellow-red.

I always wondered about that.

Superfoods!

One word that many people may like but hate at the same time would be "diet."  How many of you have tried dieting?  There are thousands of diet programs out there and of course you have tried one, or two, or maybe over 20 different programs.  Some work for some people, and others might not.  But one thing you should not forget about when dieting, is to eat.  Yes!  Eating healthy is very important when dieting.  So here are some foods that help when you are dieting. 

Blueberries (all berries like strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries work, but blueberry contains a higher concentration of antioxidants)

Salmon

Eggs

Nuts

Green tea

Broccoli

Quinoa (a type of grain)

Yogurt (low-fat dairy will be the best choice)

Beans

Chocolate (Yes!  Something good to eat!  But don't overdo it, or else it will produce negative results.  Keeping to one or two small pieces a day is the trick.)

There you have it.  Keeping to these foods will not guarantee a successful diet for everyone, but hopefully at least 50% of people will be able to successfully achieve their diet goals.  Many people invest money and time on aesthetic salons, but don't forget to invest money and time on your body as well.  It is supposed to last for 100 years!

Ouch! Right in the heart.

This is a wonderful song by fantastic British rock band MUSE, but the really interesting thing about this one is the video. Hand made (flip book) animation by Japanese comedian Tekken (yes this weird dude with the face paint). It was not originally made as an official music video, but when the band saw the clip they decided it was so good that they wanted to use it. Have a look, it's truly a beautiful piece of work.

Say what now?